Smugglers Cove (Love2write and Silence)

It was pure chaos. There were no defined lines and many of the guards tried to clump together though it only worked to a degree. Even if the Chippeqouti were used to surviving in difficult situations it was often in a more formal battle and this was where Killian usually excelled. He didn't need orders, or a direction, just an enemy and that was good enough. Killian had reverted to a simple need for survival. He stayed within distance to protect Star while he continued to fire off where he could until he started to attract too much fire.

Kavis watched with some horror and dismay as it erupted. He had not anticipated for this to be the kind of move that Killian would make. Often times stories were made up and they were exaggerations of a small truth. Like many others he had only heard of the games and had not witnessed them and so the tales only seemed to carry so much weight. Kavis had been careful to judge by what he saw and most of it had been unruly, and untrained. Originally Killian had appeared to be an easy person to steer with logic and a solid argument. The man had shown himself to be reasonable and he fought and lost the election with the grace of any high blood Chippeqouti. Now he was faced with a monster. One that he had only thought existed as a rumor. Dougal had been a strong able bodied Chippeqouti. Kavis had hoped to extend the Chip's bloodline and he had intended to extend the same favor to Killian. Truly it was cursed blood. The Chip had gone wild. He didn't care about his bloodline and he killed his own for the sake of the weaker.

No matter what the council member tried to do to end the fight it continued. His bloodlines. The lineages remaining here being destroyed! They could not even hope to take the blood of the cursed one to carry on their people. His guards had fired out of gut instinct and they were now fighting in self defense. Kavis left the field behind him, but gave a final order. "Kill the cursed blood."

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Killian had to duck to get away from the additional fire. So many of the humans fell that there were only a few guards left with guns that were needed to hold them back. The humans that still had guns fired back and a group of 4 kept coming after Killian. Shifting again he hid himself around the corner of a building. Waiting for the sound of feet he barely breathed and then he heard the light crunch of the snow. Turning around the corner he shot the first and the second. The third one he skimmed and then he didn't see the fourth.

Wherever the last one had split off to it meant trouble. They were laying a trap for him. Glancing to the other side he didn't see the fourth one and it was all up to him for his best guess now. Killian started to creep toward the opposite end since it seemed to be the most logical space. He saw a trail of disrupted snow and right at the corner a patch that had been brushed as if he shouldn't notice it. Still holding the gun ready he cautiously set his foot just at the corner. A creak sounded and in an instant metal jaws of a large wild life trap snapped on his leg. Instantly a shudder went through his body and Killian fell back screaming. "Aaagh!" Pulling at the metal teeth he tried to get his leg loose and instead it just seemed to grind against the already damaged flesh.

Snow crunched behind him and he reached for his gun with bloody hands. He'd been so busy trying to get himself out of the trap that he'd lost track of the fourth man. Looking over his shoulder he saw a Chippeqouti aim the gun for the back of his neck. It would be more deadly than if he tried to shoot him in the head. A double shot sounded and then he felt the bullet skim the top of shoulder and it planted itself in the side of the building. The body of the Chippeqouti behind him fell and Killian scooted himself around the corner with his gun before he saw Frank come around the edge.

"It's over now." He could see a good amount of blood had begun to cover the ground. Carefully he approached Killian and swept the snow away from where the trap was fastened to the ground with a chain and hook. Usually they only set the traps around the houses when there had been dangerous animals about. Seemed that those hunting Killian had a similar thought and it almost worked. Who would have thought of putting a trap in the snow and covering it? The Chip's were cunning alright. Once the chain was unhooked he offered a hand to Killian. "Need to get you over to the shed. I've got a few tools that'l help pry that open."

Killian accepted Frank's hand and he bent his knee to hold the leg up. By now he had started to shiver from the cold and he didn't have his coat. It was just the vest and his shirt both of which were soaked with sweat, blood, and snow. His teeth chattered almost uncontrollably and he hopped unsteadily in the snow on one foot with grimace every time the chain jerked on the trap. "Is....St-Star ok?"

The other man looked over at Killian. "She's fine." Thankfully the shed wasn't far and then he could get the trap off before getting a doctor to look at the leg.
 
Star had lost track of Killian in the battle. He was around here somewhere. She knew it. He was next to impossible to kill. She stepped through the blood-laden snow, looking for Killian. When she didn't find him among the remaining bodies she hurried to human med-ship. She looked around in horror at the number of people sitting around, injured, bleeding, dying. And only a handful of people to care for them.

Kato looked overwhelmed. He spots her and waves her over. "Star! You know some basic medicine, right?"
Star nodded and he hands her a datapad.
"Good, grab whatever supplies you need. Get the none critical patients checked-in and organized and deal with any immediate wounds. Mark the urgent care patients with a red X, do what you can then we'll come help them as soon as possible. Please, and thankyou." He rushes back to his patient, his gloves and clothes already covered in blood.
Star stared at the data pad a moment before hurrying off to help. She just had to trust Killian was ok.

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Thiza searched everywhere for Killian after the shooting had stopped. His mate may have been back but she still cared about him and worried about him. Even after his brutal murder of Dougal, she couldn't just turn off the emotions and feelings she had for him. He'd already made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her, and she'd begun to think it was for the best. Their entire relationship, she had pushed him for the progress they had made, while his heart had still been bound to another woman's. Now that Star was back, there was no hope for her...but at the very least...she could get some closure. While she knew she would miss him...her heart was still loyal to the chippequoti and their council, and she knew his was not. She could not give herself fully to a man who loved humans more than his own kin.

Thiza found Killian in the Chippquoti med ship. The doctor here was not as overwhelmed as in the human ship but things were still chaotic with too many people in line, waiting for help with various wounds. She found Killian in the corner, his leg wrapped in a bloody towel. She couldn't help but feel that sense of panic and worry for him. "Killian!" She hurried to him and knelt at his side. "What happened to your leg? Did you get shot? Are you alright?"
There was a line to see the doctor. It was only natural after such a disaster and Killian was sent to the corner with a towel that Frank wrapped around his leg. Even the nurses were busy. He counted himself lucky that Frank was there to help him get onto the bed and wrap the leg up. Laying back on the bed he grit his teeth and tried not think about his leg. Then he heard the familiar voice and it might have been nice to hear, but that meant he would have to deal with this now. Turning his head he looked at Thiza. "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you that first day, but she told me not to."
"Yeah." She looked down, wanting to grab his hand one more time, but resisting. "I uh, figured most of it out after she talked about the council trying to kill her. I don't believe it for a moment...they wouldn't do something like that. Either way she was probably fearing for her life." Thiza took a breath and looked him in the eyes. "I understand now...why you wanted me out. Your first love...your true love came back...and...you can't love two women. I betrayed you, I've known you the least amount of time. Easy choice." She smiles bitterly.
Killian pushed up to try and sit on the bed, but it was more like a cot and it leaned dangerously to the side so he laid back again. Setting hand over hers he shook his head. "I do care about you. How could I not care after everything you did for Claire and all the times you were there for me?" Letting out a long breath he brought his hand back and picked the shirt out of the top of his bloody shoulder. He hated it when stuff started to stick in nasty cuts. "Thiza they took everything from you except what you left. I'll talk with some friends and they'll make sure you have a home to live in till I'm healed up enough to help build a new home for you."
Thiza chuckled bitterly. "You know the worst part? My punishment...them burning my house...it was all a ploy to get you take me back." She ran her fingers through her hair. "They knew you were too noble to leave a pregnant, homless love out in the snow."
Bolting upright in the bed his eyes got wide. "You're what?!"
Thiza barely held herself together. She wanted to cry. She wanted to follow through, but...it was too cruel. She shifted on her feet, her face contorting slightly as she fought against the swelling emotions. "Pregant, Killian...but...it's not yours. They wanted me to convince you it was...made me go through the treatment...had the paperwork ready and everything...but...I can't. You deserve better than a life of lies...."
He couldn't believe it. They paid her to sleep with him and then impregnated her anyway just to play with his head? What they did to Thiza was wrong and they were using her to get at him. "Those bastards!" Slamming his fist against the wall he shifted in the bed as if he thought to get up and then changed his mind. The leg barely moved and that was good enough to put him still for a moment. "Agh..." Gingerly resting a hand on the towel he winced and then looked up at her. "Why would you let them do that to you? Thiza they're evil."
"No, Killian. You misunderstand them. Everything they do, their plans...it truly is for the betterment of the community and the life of all. I could've made you happy. I could've satisfied you like no one else. I would have been your true other half...given you a purpose. That's all this was. They...I...we were trying to make your life better. Help you accept your blood...your kin. But despite all your logic you can only see the things that seem cruel out of context."
"Because you lying to me and you getting your house burnt down and then told to lie to me about the baby isn't cruel? I don't know how I'm taking that out of context. Thiza, I've been a free man almost all my life and I know a crooked system when I see one. What they made you do is wrong. I chose Star over my own kind when I visited Quoti. You and the rest of them don't get it. I made my choice and I like the way I live." Killian held her gaze. "What they did was evil and I won't change my mind on that. Dougal had to die. I've dealt with his kind before and the only way to stop them is to kill them."
"On that we'll have to disagree." Thiza replies sadly. "The council has always reigned supreme...it always will. Do not fight them...it will only cause more suffering." She patted Killian's arm. "Despite our differences, and our short time together, I'm glad to have met you and have what time I did with you." She leaned forward hesitantly and gave him one last kiss. "We could've been amazing together." She said sadly as she stepped away.
There had been times that he got that little hint from Thiza. The one that indicated she was a council loyalist. He was a little surprised that she gave him one last kiss and he narrowed his eyes slightly. "No, we wouldn't have made it. I'm gonna fight that council till they change or I die."
"I like to think I could've changed you..." She lays his coat back on his legs and backs away. "Goodbye Killian. I do wish you the best." Tears trickled down her cheek as she turned away, slowly walking towards the exit. A part of her...a small part hoped...desperately hoped that he could call her back. Give up Star...choose her...but she knew he wouldn't.
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Star didn't get released from helping Kato and the other doctors until late that night. Despite her back aching and feet hurting she hurried back to Anna's and Kato's as quickly as possible. She didn't know how any of them were. She kicked off her shoes at the door, finding Killian on the couch with a bandaged leg on the armrest. "Killian!" She exclaimed in relief and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "You're ok. I was worried." She looked at his leg. "What happened?"
Eventually Killian got to the doctor. By that time blood was dripping from the towel. He had a little help from Frank after the nurse let him use a pad to ask the man to come help him get back to Anna and Kato's. Killian had tried the bed and he moved to the couch since it was easier to prop his leg up and put less pressure on the wounds that went almost all the way around the leg. Star came late that night and he gave her half a hug since he didn't want to move too much. Wincing a little at the question he replied, "Stepped in a trap."
"Seriously? Like...like a bear trap?" She couldn't help the slight smirk on her face.
"Yeah that would be the one." Killian winced. "Those things hurt. I thought I was gonna piss my pants."
"Oh, man. I'm sorry, Killian. That sucks. Guess you're going to be laid up for a few days." She looked up and around. "How's Anna, and Claire? They ok?"
Getting a somewhat green tint to his face he laid back. "I don't know." Blindly groping along the edge of the sofa for a bucket he finally found it and held onto it for a few minutes. "Whatever they put me under with made me sick or maybe I shouldn't have eaten ice cream and then grapefruit soda."
She made a face. "I'll see if I can get you some nausea medicine." Star patted his shoulder tentativly and hurried off to find Claire. Anna seemed to be sleeping in her bed...at least she was alright. Claire was too. For a moment Star just hovered over her baby's cradle. She'd gotten so big. She was already talking and crawling. It wasn't fair that she'd missed nearly a year of her life. She bent down giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. "I love you, Claire. My beautiful baby." She strocked Claire's curls and then went to the bathroom and found the anti-nausea pills. "Here." She hands Killian two of them as she comes back to his side. It was almost like she hadn't left in some ways. Their conversations and interactions so casual and normal. They knew one another like no one else did. And yet, there was still that great gulf between them...their romantic, intimate connection still far from what it had been. But like everything else, she knew they'd get through it together.
Killian laid out on the sofa and tried not to burp. Every burp tasted like soured milk and something else. It was horrible. Before Star came back he burped again and he groaned. Suddenly it brought back the memory of his iron guts and the yellow pellets he ate. The Bippens had warned him and he spent that night belching and groaning. Chuckling a little he still had a frown on his face. When Star came out he took the pills from her. "I know this sounds gross, but I want to eat something." Whenever he got sick he usually wanted to eat more food.
"Eh, like toast?" She asks curiously.
Killian shook his head. "I want a sandwich. Don't care what's on it either. Either I'll feel better or finally puke."
"Oh...that is not what you want to tell the person about to make your sandwich." She groans in disgust. She gets up anyway and makes one for both of them. If he started throwing up though she was probably going to have to leave the room so she didn't lose her stomach as well.
She comes back a few minutes later with the sandwiches and hands him his plate, sitting beside him on the floor. Star almost wanted to bring up what happened, but it wasn't the right time. For now it was nice just eating beside him, like old times. "I've missed this..." She said after a few minutes of silence. "You, me...eating together. There were so many little things I took for granted until I didn't have them anymore."
The sandwich didn't actually look good. It probably would have any other day so he took it and happily began to munch it down. After a few bites he set it aside and laid back. Killian was going to let it settle and it seemed to be doing alright. Star began talking and he nodded. "I missed you a lot. Wasn't the same at home."
"I told you what happened to me...what happened to you?" She didn't really want to hear about the whole Thiza bit...but...she still wanted to know what had happened to him.
Killian frowned a little and gazed at her. He did have to tell her at some point. "Spent a few days in the hospital after I woke up. Doctor ran all sorts of tests and brain scans. Had headaches for a while felt sick and then I went home. Tried not to think about you, but I did anyway. Made an attempt to break my hand and trashed the bedroom. Ended up putting everything back in order. Didn't change the sheets. I think she must have at some point." Killian sighed. "Found out that the serum is very expensive and they told me I couldn't mine anymore so I was in debt to the council for a little over 100 years. Got one week to arrange a ceremony for you and report to duty as a guard." Moving his leg he winced a little bit and continued, "There wasn't a whole lot else besides Thiza showing up. She insisted on helping Claire and staying in the house when she watched her. I was pretty overwhelmed and I wasn't even getting up in the mornings till Claire got me up. Thiza cooked meals and cleaned the house up. She started asking how my day was and she'd leave little meals for myself and Claire to eat in the morning. Just stuff like that. I had no way to pay her so I took her to some of the planets when I went out looking for you. Eventually I asked her if she'd be willing to be more than a friend and about 4 months ago I asked her if she would share the bed. We didn't even have sex till 2 months ago and she told me she couldn't wait in limbo and I didn't want to lose her. She'd been good to Claire and even if she wasn't you, Thiza was good to us. That's about all that happened."
Star looked down at her hands, squirming a bit as he began telling about Thiza. 6 months....6 months and he had already asked her to move in. It wasn't very long at all...though she knew Killian's mind processed things differently. He didn't' think with his emotions as much...he thought logically. And somehow having her move in was logically the best course of action...for Claire for himself. Somehow that made it a little better, but not much. "And what are you going to do when she comes back...trying to get back into your life? Into Claire's life?"
"She won't." Killian shrugged. "Thiza came to see me today. Council made her get inseminated and they staged that whole thing just to get me to take her back. She still trusts them too." Pushing up on his elbows he burped again and then laid down. "Oh yeah excuse me." Seamlessly he moved on with his conversation. "I told her I made my choice back on Quoti. She thought she would make a better mate. After I explained she left. Still thinks that we could have been great together, but we wouldn't have made it. She wanted to change me and you know I don't change that easily."
He said it all so casually. Star made a face. "They're sick...what are they thinking? What was she thinking going along with it!?"
"I told her that and she got this idea in her head that I'm the one with a twisted point of view." Killian shook his head. "Guess that's what happens when you're cursed by one standard and a beast by another."
Star shudders. "We have to stop them, Killian. Or they're going to do worse to the colony."
Shifting again he groaned a little. "I know. It's why I killed Dougal. He was the mouthpiece or the planner. Didn't matter. Only way to stop them is to kill them and I'll do it to every council member I have to." Gritting his teeth he sat up and peeled back some of the wrappings on his leg. "You wanna see it? Went clear down to the bone."
"Mmm, no...I'm good." She set aside her sandwich and pulled the wrapping back down gently. She stood and gently kissed him on the forehead. "Try and get some sleep. I'll be close by if you need anything."
Only getting a kiss on the forehead just felt cheap. Killian had to remind himself it would only be that way for a few months. "Hey..." Reaching out he grabbed her one hand. "You forgot to let me give you a kiss to."
She chuckled lightly and knelt back down beside him.
Killian gave a playful growl and shifted onto his side so he could make a better effort. It still wasn't nearly as exciting as kissing her on the lips, but it had to do.
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Kato didn't come home for three days. He found five minutes the night of the shooting to call Anna up on the data pad and check on her and Jacob before he had to rush off to deal with the seemingly unending emergencies. He ate the meals she would bring standing up and rushing about, sleeping in 30 minute increments in between surgeries and other procedures. By the fourth night, most of the patients had been able to go home and all but two were out of critical care. The nurses took shifts watching them so he could finally go home and get some rest.

Kato finally pushed through the door of their home with a tired sigh, his scrubs stained with the blood of the many patients he'd been treating. He pulled off his shirt once in the bedroom and was greeted by Anna with a hug and a kiss. "Hi, honey. Just going to sleep for a couple days, if that's alright." He says half-jokingly before dropping into bed and proceeded to spend the entire next day sleeping. When he finally woke up he was still feeling worn out but at least he wasn't utterly exhausted. He catches Anna starting the laundry and wraps his arms around her waist tenderly. "Good morning." His stomach growled loudly and he winced. That wasn't a very pleasant way to say hello to his wife after not seeing her for almost a week. "Sorry...guess my stomach thinks its the priority right now." He chuckled lightly.
 
This was less than ideal in Anna's mind. Half the colony was hospitalized and Kato was working almost non stop. It was everything she could do to keep from getting angry with Killian. Had he no sense? All these people were hurt because he lost his temper and did whatever thing it was he thought to be logical. True it would probably keep the council at bay for a while. Perhaps enough for everyone to heal and take a break to decide that they could or couldn't live with one another. After that display she was pretty sure that they wouldn't find peace. Not here. Perhaps it would have all blown up anyway. You couldn't reason with Chip. They were their own kind of stubborn and special. How Star could deal with them or even tolerate the Chippeqouti was beyond her.

On the first night Anna waited for Kato and then she received the late call. "Ok." Setting the pad aside after the phone call she shook her head. "Just had to do it for whatever reason." She couldn't begin to guess all of the reasons and they were probably logical too. Chips had a way of making their emotions if they had any of them sound logical. The more she thought about it, they justified emotions with logic and they were far more emotional in response than what they would like to admit.

Her next few days she spent cooking and trying to take care of Kato, who didn't take good care of himself. He was a doctor and he couldn't seem to figure out how to make sure he stayed healthy. Eating was all fine and dandy when he cared to take the time. Anna tried to pack extra snack bars and stuff that he could carry on his person and eat later on instead of having to stop for something else. She still made sure he got full meals too. Thankfully her energy was returning and she could handle having the company for a few days longer. Killian and Star moved out after 2 days and that was for the best.

Finally, Kato came dragging through the door one night and Anna nodded. "You should." It worried her that he had worked himself so hard. He couldn't stay healthy if he kept pushing himself like that. Maybe staying here wasn't the right choice. As much as she wanted to help the colony it had strayed from the purpose of making a life to bickering and if the nobles ever found them it would either destroy the people here or they would have to work together. Trailing after Kato she picked his clothes up and took them to the laundry room. If there was one bad habit that doctors had it was their method of changing. Every morning she could tell exactly where Kato walked. He would have a sock here and his boxers over there and his pants laying next to the bed. At first it had been annoying to discover he was on the move whenever he got dressed or changed and now it was just part of what she expected. As much as it was still frustrating to find a sock rolled up somewhere in the bedroom she knew she would miss it if anything ever happened to him.

Anna got a big breakfast of biscuits and gravy made the next morning for brunch. Even if he said that he would sleeping all day she knew he couldn't. Kato would be up in a while. By mid afternoon she had put all the food away and saved it to heat up on the stove later. It would taste just as good. Wandering back to the room she peered in at him. He was breathing and that was about it. Kato must have been tired cause his mouth hung open like a fly trap. Shaking her head she went back to check on Jacob who was just stirring. "Hey little man I love." Waltzing over to his crib she pulled him out of it and started to dance with him toward the living room.

Going about her usual routine she finally laid Jacob down for his second nap and then Kato woke up. Meeting him in the hallway she gave him a hug and smirked when his stomach growled. "Oh don't worry I know how to take care of that. You get showered up and I'll have food for you to eat. Lots of it." Wiggling her eyebrows she placed a hand on his stomach and slid it just to the top of his pants and then stopped. "Jacob is sleeping for probably about 2 hours. If there's anything else you want after you eat." Moving her hand she gave him a gentle tap on his rear. "Go get showered. Don't stand here all day." Sometimes he froze up and she loved it. Anna typically enjoyed teasing him about his little habits especially when he just stood about grinning like a goon.

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Killian spent the first 2 days sleeping and taking the pain pills from the doctor. By the third day he and Star were moving back to the house. Wasn't a whole lot to move since he only had her one box of things and Claire. Frank had been good enough to come and help them since Killian was on crutches for a few weeks. By the time they got to the house he was feeling nervous. What if Thiza hadn't come and got her stuff? He couldn't stay with Anna and Kato forever.

Propping the door open he peered inside and he nodded. It was gone. She'd come back and that was good. A small sigh of relief sounded and he took himself to the kitchen first. "Thirsty...How about you?" Nodding he grabbed a glass for himself and one for Star. He hadn't really heard what she said, but it wouldn't hurt to have one for her just in case. Gulping his down he frowned a little while he tried to think of how he was going to carry a glass of water and walk with his crutches at the same time. Shifting both crutches under one arm he used them as his second leg and awkwardly toddled back to the bedroom. "Got your water for you." Setting it on the dresser he wandered over to the bed and flopped on it. "Don't worry the sheets are all clean. I changed them soon as I knew you were here. "

It just sounded so horrible. There was no way for this not to sound like he was scum bag and he didn't like it. "Star I'm sorry. I don't know what it is. If anything can go wrong it does and if I don't find trouble it comes looking for me." Killian was starting to feel slightly frustrated. "Wouldn't have mattered if we went through that transport gate to Quoti or not, I'm pretty sure we would have found some other trouble. You deserve a lot more than this. What do you want? Do you want to live here? Should we move or try to go somewhere else?" Considering his luck running probably wouldn't work, but she should have a say in all this.
 
"I want to leave." Star said almost immediately. She wanted to leave but at the same time she felt guilty she was so ready to abandon the others to the coucil. There was one compromise she could live with. "After we resolve things with the council and we know the humans in the colony are going to be ok, i'd like to leave." She looked down at the bed with a tight expression. She hadn't expected how hard it would be to stand in this room knowing she'd been in here. She couldn't even bring herself to sit on the bed at the moment knowing what they had done on it. She forgave him already...but the pain was still there, especially now that she was standing in the place that was supposed to have been her home. Somehow, it didn't feel like home anymore.
Killian was laying down, expecting her to somehow join him on the bed he'd shared with someone else. She glanced up at him, her hands trembling as she hugged herself. "I...i can't sleep here, Killian. I'm sorry." She rushed out the room desperately trying to hold herself together. Everywhere she looked, she could only think about Thiza who had been here, taking her place. Playing with her daughter on the floor, cooking on her stove for her husband, carrying for her house. It was too painful. She wasn't sure she could even stay in the house.
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Anna caught kato off guard yet again as she teased him seductively. He almost forgot about how hungry he was until she pushed him towards the showers. He went reluctantly wanting to drag her back to bed with him.

After the shower he went to look on his son whom he hadn't seen in 4 days. Kato ran a finger over his little hand, smiling proudly then went to the kitchen for a much needed meal. He sighed happily, shoveling Anna's food in with approving nods and noises. The last few days had been a blur of hard and emotionally painful work, much of which he was trying to push out of his mind so he could get the refreashing he needed. "I see Killian and Star have gone. Nice to have the house back to ourselves." Kato notes between bites of food.
 
While Killian was busy trying to adjust on the bed he found himself grateful that the trap hadn't snapped his leg off or even do anymore damage than just chip a part off the bone in a few places. "Hmm?" Frowning a little bit he looked up at Star. She wanted to leave, but not until this dispute here was settled. "Ok we can do that." Laying back on the bed he glanced at Star and then stared at the ceiling. It was kind of awkward with her just standing there over him. Then all hell broke loose and he stared at her with some worry and a hint of confusion.

Pushing up on his elbows he watched her hurried steps out of the room. "Oh no." Killian laid back and stared at the ceiling again. He wanted to close the door so he could panic, but that would draw too much attention. Putting his back to the door would require his injured leg to be on the bottom side and he didn't want that either. So it was the next best option.

Killian sat up in the bed a little and peered out toward the main part of the house. Since she wasn't immediately in the vicinity he grabbed the extra pillow and pulled it over his face. "Damn it....." Murmuring into the pillow for a few moments longer he finally let out a long breath. She was upset about the bedroom. It was only a bedroom...theirs. Somehow he couldn't help turning red. What was he thinking? This could be considered awkward. Having your wife return and she knows that you slept with another woman only 6 months after disappearing. Probably this could be considered insensitive and he didn't even realize it till now. Mentally he was cursing himself for all the dumb things he could have done. Maybe not telling her would have been better? That wouldn't have worked. Thiza would have said something or showed up and then he risked someone else telling Star.

There was no easy answer for this. Maybe they would have to make this the guest bedroom. Killian's heart rate increased momentarily when he realized he'd somewhat violated the ship too. He couldn't tell her about that one. Nope...not happening. Some things were better left unknown. This would only be a detail that would hurt her more. Unless she asked he wasn't going to say anymore. Same as the games. Only so much could be shared. Enough to know the story and the rest to be buried.

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Anna warmed up the food on the stove top while Kato showered and she turned the oven on to put the biscuits in. They would at least be warm when he got to eat them. Dipping her finger in the food she licked it off and gave a long "Mmmmm. Yeap that's good." Serving up a monstrous plate she set it at his place only a few seconds after Kato sat down. Setting her hands under her chin she watched Kato with a slight smirk on her face. "If you had a mustache you would look like a baleen whale eating." He had practically inhaled the food while making his low toned humming.

Now that the immediate starvation was sated he made a statement that she could more than agree with. "I would do anything for Star except maybe...well I can't stand Killian. Never could." Anna chuckled. "You don't know how good it is to have the house to ourselves."

"Oh, I do." Kato nodded. "I think I dislike him more than you." He chuckles a little in between bites. "I apologize for not being here for you the last few days. I was terrified for you. But people were dying and i couldnt leave them"

Anna knew that Kato didn't particularly like Killian, but she didn't think he would say it out loud. "I know you're a doctor and you do what you have to." She let one hand drop to the table, "But I want you to remember to take care of yourself. Starting over isn't really my thing. You're it for me."

Kato looked up at her with a little bit of surprise. "I would never work myself to death, honey." He smiled at her lightly. "But I promise to try and take it easier from now on."

"If you say so." Anna sighed and grinned at him. "I do have to say for being such a big tough guy, Killian is the biggest baby. You barely touch his leg and he howls like somebody was trying to murder him. That's how my last few days went. I'm worried about Star. I'm not sure they're ready to be alone together, but they're adults and they need to work this out between themselves."

"She needs a therapist, not a man who barely understands his own emotions and began living with someone else not even a year after disappeared." Kato shook his head in near disgust. His doctor's heart couldn't help worrying about her well being, especially after some of the things he knew she's gone through. "You should try and talk with her if she'll open up to you." Kato suggested.

Anna sighed. "Well I could try talking with her if she wanted to talk to me. I'd suggest you stay out of any of this. I may not like Killian, but you didn't hear the kinds of things he thought about you during our time on his ship. Kato I'm surprised he didn't throw you out."

"What do you mean? Did he say something to you?" Kato asked, feeling a little defensive.

The tone in his voice didn't sound all that good and Anna dropped her other hand to the table. "We don't talk. He doesn't talk to me and I don't talk to him. You always seem to forget that I might not always talk with people, but I still have ears and eyes."

"And what have those ears told you?" Something about the way she said that grated a bit on his nerves. Everthing he did was for the well being of others. All his hard work the sleepless nights was to save people. But since waking up all he was hearing from her was "stop working so hard" and "keep your nose out of places you aren't wanted". Now Anna was making it sound like he wasn't aware of her and the spying part of her life. Maybe he wasn't , but not by any fault of his own. She just never talked to him about those sorts of things. He got the notion that she somehow thought he was incapable of handling that area of her life

Kato was getting all weird about things and Anna rolled her eyes. "I'm concerned about you and I'm just saying that you should still be careful. I don't trust him. He just dashed out and murdered a guy in front of everyone yesterday. No doubt there was some kind of logic and I don't want you to be the next logical kill. Kato you've got no sense of self preservation."

"You forget that I survived for years on a planet with gang wars and having my life threatened constantly..." Kato's forehead knit together. "The very reason I was on his ship in the first place was self-preservation. Regardless, as a doctor...my main concern is the preservation of others and their well-being. I'm sorry if that's has somehow become a problem for you." He knew that wasn't what she was really saying...though it was certainly sounding like it and it was getting to be bit grating. He took a breath, "That wasn't fair. I'm sorry. What I mean is, sometimes I feel like you don't appreciate everything I do as a doctor. And that simply because I put other's well-being above my own you feel that makes me somehow..." He struggled for a word to describe the vibe he was getting from her. "That I don't care about myself...and in turn you. Which is completly untrue."

Sometimes he was so difficult. Anna shook her head. "It's not what I think. I just don't like to see you put yourself in harms way. I was relieved to know you left before things got bad. I left to come back to the house here to protect the babies. Kato I just worry about you. You're a good doctor and its so easy for you to forget or put aside little needs of your own. Sometimes you cross the wrong people like you did before you joined his crew. Kato I'm scared. I sided with Kavis because you can't trust a person like Killian. We go with him because he's our only chance at this point, just...I know you stay away from him, but please try to stay further away.'

Kato shook his head. "I'm not going to be intimdated by him, Anna. And if don't call him on things when he gets out of line...who will? He has no accountablitliy." Kato set his fork down and leaned back in seat, rubbing his tired eyes. This was not how he wanted to spend his first day back after a 72 hour shift. "But, neither am I going to go looking for trouble. I understand your concern. I do...and I have no desire to get in his path unless absolutley necessary. So, you can stop worrying about it."

Taking a deep breath she nodded. "Ok." Slowly she rose from her seat and walked over to kiss him. "Honey I married you cause you're a good man. Sometimes good men make frightening choices. I'm just having to learn to trust you. My little ears and eyes hear and see a lot of things." Smirking a little brushed her fingers through his hair. "I have to admit that I've never been ashamed to be your wife. It does scare me sometimes." Leaning a bit closer she kissed him. "Mr. Jones. Such an unassuming name for an extraordinary man."

After the early evening meal Anna took herself and Kato to bed. "First things first." A smirk came to her face. "I get to rub you down with some nice massage oil and then we might think about some other form of fun."
 
Star was trying to be understanding. Trying to be ok. But she wasn't. Far from it. She sat on the couch, staring out the window with a cup of cocoa in her hand and a pillow on her lap. She wanted to move on, move forward, but there was still so much in the way. Every time she thought about him with Thiza she wanted to get sick and angry. And then she felt even more guilty because she had done so much worse. This house...it would never feel the same again...yet another reason...the main reason she wanted to leave again.

The cocoa didn't help much, but it was nice holding something warm in her hands. Her box of clothes still sat by the door. She was half tempted to take it back to Anna and Kato's, but that would just set her and Killian back even further. Star looked up as Killian's footsteps rounded the couch and he came to sit beside her. She looked away, feeling a little embarrassed about the outburst. She stared down at the cocoa, unsure of what to say. "I...I just need some time." She finally said softly. It was the best she could manage, under the circumstances. For the first time since Kato's diagnosis and warning...she was glad that they had an excuse for not becoming intimate so soon.
He set the crutches to lean against the sofa and sat next to her. "Yeah...I never thought about how it might feel to be you. Its uh...." Sighing he glanced at her. "Awkward to say the least."
She let out a brief, bitter laugh. "Yeah...just a bit." Star looked up at him. "I'm not angry with you. You need to know that. I forgive you, completely. And I hate that I feel this way after everything I've done myself and you being so kind about it."
Killian swallowed and nodded. "Eh well...These sorts of things are never easy. I've had my own problems with what I did too. Might have been better if I just told her no and never let her in the house again."
"Maybe...but at least Claire was taken care of. And for that I am really grateful. I was so worried she was going to be neglected for being a half-blood."
"Yeah so was I." Killian sighed. "You know I'm starting to figure out that logic doesn't work for relationships very well."
Star laughed. "You're just now figuring that out? I've been trying to teach you that for years." She giggled.
She lay against him. "Well, at least your figuring it out." She sighed deeply and decided to switch the topic. "What are you going to do about the council?"
Killian nearly groaned. "I don't know. They're gonna have to leave these people alone. Maybe I'll have to kill a few more of them." He shifted a bit uneasily and leaned over to rub at the leg. "Agh...it hurts. One of those I want to rub it and I want to leave it alone all at the same time."
Star gave him a sympathetic look. "Have you changed the bandaging recently?"
"Yeah I think so." Killian frowned a little. "Why?
She shrugged. "Just making sure you're keeping it clean so it doesn't get infected. I have some painkillers if you need some."
"Nah." Killian leaned back into the sofa again. "We need to be moving our bedroom tomorrow and I might use them then."
Star nodded and leaned back against him. Despite everything...it was good to be home again, just him, her and Claire.
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Kato sighed as he lay on the bed and Anna began to rub the massage oil over his back. He didn't mean too, but within 10 minutes he'd fallen asleep again. He didn't wake for another 8 hours. He might've slept longer except there was a change in one of the critical care patients late that night. He looked over at Anna who was sleeping beside him, feeling bad he hadn't been able to give her the attention she deserved these last few days. It was obviously bothering her alot. Maybe after the crisis was dealt with here, he'd take her away for a few days on vacation.

He jotted down a quick note to explain where he'd gone and signed it with "I love you" leaving it on his pillow for her to find when she awoke. He rushed back to the med-ship, meeting Shanti at the entrance. "What's happened?"
"The kid. Niles..."
Kato came into the room. The boy's father and mother were there, worrying over their son. The very image gripped his heart. Their roles could have been so easily reversed with him and Anna worrying over their own son. Kato looked down at the chart. The boy had been in a coma for a few days and according to the results he'd just gone fully brain dead and was completely reliant on life-support. For all intents and purposes...he was dead. After a brief examination to make 100% sure, Kato took a breath and sat beside the parents. "I am so sorry." The mother burst into tears, wailing and the father looked like he was in shock.
"We can keep him on life-support as long as you need to say goodbye." He adds softly, putting a hand on the father's shoulder. The man nodded wearily. Kato wasn't sure he would've been as calm.
***
Kato dropped his coat on the hanger by the door and slowly pulled off his shoes. It was early morning, the sun had barely come up. He shuffled over to Jacob's bedroom and looked over at his little son in his crib. He lifted the babe up and set him on his shoulder, holding him gently as he sat in a nearby rocking chair. A tear trickled down his face as he closed his eyes. Yet another life lost to this stupid fight. A child at that. It wasn't right. If Killian hadn't been so foolish, charging in like that...murdering a member of the council. Perhaps...that boy would still be alive with his family. It equally grieved and angered him. Something needed to get that man back under control, or more lives could be lost.
 
Killian got up the next morning and tested his weight on his leg. It still hurt and he limped heavily, but he was pretty sure he could move a few things around if he needed to without his crutches. His leg was still pretty swollen and sore so he got off of it. Pulling dresser drawers out he laid them on the bed and started to pull Star's dresser first toward the doorway. Pulling it along he stopped with it just outside the guest bedroom and limped back to the room to do the same with his. Part way through moving the dresser he paused and decided to ask Star if they were both moving to the room and then a knock sounded at the door. "The hell I don't need any visitors, well wishers or haters coming over." Grumbling he gimped over to the door and swung it open.

There was Kato and it seemed he needed the ship because of a patient that would die otherwise. Being human the Chippeqouti had denied the use of any ships and Killian now had to say yes or no. "Fine, be ready in a half hour. I'll get into my boots and meet you at the ship in bay 22." Killian shut the door in Kato's face. He didn't want anything to do with the man and yet he was going to be making a special run with him. He was only doing this for the human that would otherwise die.

"Star I'll be making an emergency run with Kato to get some treatment for a patient." Killian grunted as he limped the rest of the way to the room and got into his usual clothes along with his boots. He had to leave the one laced quite a bit looser considering the swelling in his leg. Pulling his coat on grabbed a bag and stuffed a little bit of clothing into it. "I should be back in a few days." With the crutches he could actually get around faster then when he was trying to be careful not to break all the stitches in his leg by putting to much pressure on it. On board the ship he got the engines going and the heat running. The med bay Killian made a little warmer. Most of the time it seemed that patients were needing things warmer. By the time the doctor arrived he was 5 minutes late and the patient was a sickly gray. Clenching his jaw, Killian waited for Kato to signal that they were ready to depart and he put the engines to full throttle for take off.

It was almost impossible not to be worried about Kato. Anna had just finished telling him that she didn't want him to be around Killian and this was the only choice to save the patient. She wanted to tell Kato not to do it, but he was never going to be able to live with himself if the patient could have been saved and he didn't at least try. Anna figured she could at least invite Star over. They had 7 days without the guys around and it might be a good time for them to just sit down and have a nice chat.

Maybe there would be a chance to talk with Star about some of the things if Star brought it up. Out of curiosity Anna turned the pad on in her kitchen so she could listen to what was going on in the medical bay while she waited for a response from Star in regards to the invitation.

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At least they had a mutual understanding that they didn't like each other and that was all fine and dandy as far as Killian was concerned. They even ate their rations in shifts so they didn't have to talk or share any unnecessary time together. It had been a good 5 days together and the patient was doing well with the medication that they had gotten on the supply run. While they were out they picked up a little extra to be sure that there would be more for other potential cases like this one. Killian was finishing a bottle of water and his food when he got an alert from the med bay. "Damn it." Setting the bottle aside he got up from his spot and swung along on his crutches till he got to the med bay only to find that one of the supply closets was locked.

Killian grumbled. "I told you the code!" Typing it in he saw the light turn green and then he pulled, but it didn't come open. "Oh haha." Growling under his breath he jerked again and ended up nearly bracing one leg against the wall to try and get it to open. "I'll have to fix the door on that. Must have shifted out of socket somewhere." Since he was here Killian decided to step into the closet and look at the inside. There had to be something wrong on this side since the outside was fine. Kato asked for something and Killian rolled his eyes. "I don't even know how to spell that. I'm doing what I do and why don't you come in here and get it for yourself."

Kato nearly rolled his eyes at the man. "I'll be right back." He patted the patient's arm and went to retrieve the anti-inflammatory shot. He stepped inside the supply closet only to have the door close behind him. "I told you...that door has issues. It's been making it extremely difficult to get to the supplies I need."

When Kato stepped in Killian's eyes got wide. "No!" Then the door closed and Kato kept on talking as if they were gonna get out. "Oh hell no..." Finally he looked at the doctor and shook his head. "Why did you let the door close?" It was a tiny closet and Killian had to almost stand chest to chest so that Kato could get into the L shape past the shelves as you walked into the doorway. "Kato you dumb ass!" Slamming into the door with his shoulder Killian tried a few more times and then he glared at the doctor.

Kato scoffed at him. "There's no point in calling me names. The door is thing you should be mad at...not me."

"The door doesn't have brains. It did what it was supposed to. If you know the door has problems why do you let it shut?" Killian slammed against the door again though it only seemed to bruise his shoulder.

"I wasn't thinking about the door, I was thinking about getting medicine for my patient. Getting angry at me does not do either of us any good." Kato replied calmly as ever. Inside though, Killian was on his last nerves. "Perhaps if you tried finasse rather than brute force you'd have more luck with the door. You would've certainly had better results in the colony..."

Killian glowered at Kato. "Finesse isn't really my style and you can't say shit cause you never tried to lead or do anything else."

"Well since me and my wife are among the people whom your actions affect, yes...I do get to speak. You know a bullet came flying through our baby's window the night of massacre? It came inches away from killing our baby. We were lucky...but so many others wernt'. Do you even know how many people died that night? How many children? All because you had to go and murder a member of the council, raging like a spoiled brat."

Typically criticism was one thing, but this was going too far. Killian grabbed Kato by his shoulders and pushed him against the shelving. "Did you want to have the humans do it on their own and be murdered in their beds? Somebody had to put the council in check, the rest of you were too busy shaking in your boots to do anything about it."

Kato shoved Killian off. He was not the same small-bodied man that had joined Killian's crew. He had the bones of Chippequoti and it showed in his stature. "Of course something needed to be done about the council. But murdering council members blindly, not thinking of the consequences...that was too far! There were other ways. 27 people died because of you Killian! Mothers and fathers! And that's just humans! Four of them children! All under the age of 12! Because you were angry!" He jabs Killian in the chest. "And you were selfish! And you didn't care about how other people were going to be affected by your rash actions! What if Claire or Star had been listed among the dead!?"

Getting pushed back surprised Killian. He wasn't typically challenged like that by anyone and especially not by those weaker than himself. "Yes people died and they always will when there is a conflict." Slapping the hand that jabbed at his chest he clenched his jaw. "If they would have been among the dead I would have gone through and killed every damn Chip I could find from that council and I'm still going to kill them! They're evil and you don't understand it until you look it in the eye. There is no stopping it and if it costs 27 lives and four children then it was cheap because they'll kill more than that before they're done!"

Kato glared at him. "You are no better. You are no better than the very Chippequoti who sit on that council. You are just as evil if not more if you think the lives of children, my children, your children are a cost worth paying to take down a handful of corrupt politicians. You are sick...I can't understand how Star could love someone who would sacrifice their own daughter in this."

"I didn't say I'd do it willingly. It could happen and I know that. You have to know what the costs are before you go in and anytime you face men like this they can and will do their best to break you." Killian turned to walk away and found himself facing a shelf instead. "She tried to tell me to save that damn arena and we decided to blow it up in the end after she finally understood what happened in there. You can't talk to me like that till you know."

"We aren't talking about the arena we are talking about our children in a colony you are supposedly trying to protect. You have your head so stuck up your ass you can't even admit that what you did was wrong and had serious consequences. You are so prideful you can't even admit there were other ways of dealing with the chaos. You are blinded by your own pain and hate...and everyone around you suffers because of it! If you continue like this...your child will die before the age of five. And Claire's blood will be on your hands."

Killian turned sharply and hit Kato in the jaw. "You don't know what you're talking about. Had your mind made up years ago. Never stopped to think that there could be reasons for the way I do things. I do what I have to and its a damn sight better than what the rest of you are doing. Sitting around on your hands waiting for change. It'll come when you watch those around you starve, kill each other for the most trivial things. Don't even try to tell me what I do or don't know about consequences. What was your greatest consequence, being born with a fatal disease?"

Kato spit blood on the ground from the split lip. He glared up at Killian. "Holding a dying child in my arms and not being able to do a damn thing about it. Thing about consequences, Killian...when you aren't paying them, its easy to stand back and feel like the hero. When you're someone like me...who actually cares about the lives of every person...you experience the consequences of men like you. Brutes and dictators who think they can play god with people's lives because they don't feel a damn thing. You're a sociopath, Killian. Do you even feel a shred of regret for the children who died, for the children left as orphans because their parents were shot?" He took a breath, standing straight and looking Killian square in the jaw. "Everyone has their reasons for doing things. The council had their reason for the way they treated the colony...and you called them evil. You have your reasons for doing things...the rest of us call you just as evil if not more. How you do things matters far more than what you do."

Staring at the doctor for a long moment he pushed at him. "Get the hell away from me!" Killian clenched his jaw and maintained eye contact with Kato. After what felt like forever he gave a low growl sounding response. "Every one of those people and Chippeqouti are my responsibility and I care about them. I'm going to do whatever I have to...they need to be ready for when the nobles find us. They won't let an entire population of their slaves escape and I don't care if the people think I'm evil. Men like you only prove the lack of understanding. We're faced with nobles that will slaughter the people and a council that will subdue them to the point of starvation if they don't respond. Unless you have a better way to turn the council over then I suggest you stay out of my way."

"We did. Anna...she had a way. Been working on it for months. And then you stepped in and ruined it. Her way may have ended the council without a single drop of bloodshed. But you thought you knew it all, knew what had to be done so you didn't even think to stop and ask...who knows a better way." Kato scoffs. "All your talk of forming a council, getting deciscions and opinions from many people...that was all a lie and a shame to get yourself elected...wasn't it?"

"You still think I'm a monster." Killian smirked. "After all this time you should know I don't lie if I can help it. I wanted a council and help because I don't know how to run a government or people. I know how to run a crew of murderers and theives. For all yours and Anna's planning you couldn't even say a damn word. I count the blood as much yours as mine. If you had a way to help you should have said something. If it was so damn important you would have found a way to contact me."

"And why would we want the help of an arrogant fool like you?" Kato crossed his arms at Killian. "No way in hell we ask for help from someone who counts children as acceptable losses."

Killian chuckled, "Because I'm not a fool and you need me."

"I saw where your "help" got us." Kato scoffs. "27 people dead. 4 children. One of which who could've been Claire and you don't even care. The games turned you into a monster and you never turned back. The colony is better off without you."

"Then you try surviving without me." Killian stared at him. "You're like the rest of them. You only want me when what you have to do what's too ugly for your little hands and then you turn around and call me a monster. I know you came back to get me from the games only to rescue Star. You had no interest in me beyond your own motives. I care enough about Claire that I did what I didn't think I could. It was something you frowned on. Looked down at me from behind your freaky doctor eyes. Yes, I lived with a Chip woman and it was for Claire. She needs more than me and I know that. Star was dead. Are you so damn sensitive that you wouldn't be willing to take a new woman if anything happened to Anna? Would you let your child stay in the home of strangers and only see him at your convenience? I'm tired of your judgment. Until you're willing to offer help I'm not hearing one more damn word from you. Sit in your tower and scoff at my way of life and then consider who taught you how to live. I at least try to understand your customs and way of life."

Kato raised an eyebrow curiously at Killian's tangent about the woman. Obviously there was some guilt there or he wouldn't have brought it up. "I never said anything about what you did that other chip woman. Your personal life...as much as I despise it sometimes...its yours...unless you're hurting someone in it. As for rescuing you from the games, it was equally about getting you out as it was getting help to rescue Star. No man deserves to be in a place like that...no matter how evil they are." He took a strong step towards Killian. "Do whatever the hell you want with your life, Killian. I don't give a damn. But when you start taking actions that have consequences for everyone else you'd better damn well take responsibility and care about the people you are hurting."

It felt like he was on the defense and Killian hated that. Being stuck in this room really didn't help. Kato was acting like a real asshole and he couldn't see past the end of his own nose. "I'll stop doing what I know how when a better alternative presents itself. So why don't you do something? Why don't you tell me what your plans are so I can help. I never wanted to lead the damn colony, I wanted a council to help me."

"I'm not telling you anything until I know you are genuinely remorseful of all the people you are responsible for getting killed. Daniel age 6, Liddy age 9, Emma age 12, Josh age 4....those are just the children that I watched die on my operating table. Are they collateral damage or they worth protecting above all else? Do you regret what you did or would you do it all over again?" Kato demands.

Killian glanced away from Kato and then looked at him again. "If I had known about your plans I would have done something else. I don't want the people to die. Why the hell would I have gone through all that damn trouble to get them out if I was just going to watch them die or fall into slavery again? I don't have the luxury of breaking down and crying. There isn't time for that and I don't have time to explain myself to anyone except you currently because we're locked in this room for the next 15 hours!"

Kato scoffs at him. "I have nothing more to say to you Killian. You can't even bring yourself to admit you were wrong. That those children dying was wrong. Even if there had been no other plan at the time. Until you learn to stop thinking like a logic driven Chippequoti monster and start thinking like more like your wife, you'll continue to make horrible decisions thinking you're doing the right thing. But you're not...no matter how good your intentions...it will still be wrong...horribly wrong." Kato turned and sat against the wall, wiping away the blood from his split lip.

For the next several hours the two of them had to sit almost shoulder to shoulder and it irked Killian to no end. Still he was feeling more and more uncomfortable about the kids and he clenched his jaw even when he fell asleep. When he woke up it was only 20 minutes later and he tried to stretch out, but there was no room for that. Any moving seemed to wake Kato up and Killian smirked. "Not comfy enough?" Running a hand through his hair he dropped his head. "You're an asshole...A good doctor and a jerk. I really didn't think any kids would have gotten killed. I knew some adults would die. Didn't quite think things through. Don't tell me anymore names. I don't need to know the names." Almost muttering to himself he covered his face with his hands. "No names. Enough already!"

Killian's sudden outburst startled Kato, though at the same time he was relieved to see some true remorse bursting through. It was hard to ignore the deaths of people when you knew their names, their ages...their faces. "You just know their names, Killian. I know their faces, I know their families." Kato said sorrowfully. "I held Liddy's hand...promising I'd save her...and she died from a bullet to the stomach. Her mother died trying to protect her and her father is now alone." He took a deep breath, trying not to cry from the faces of those children he'd failed to save. "I understand why you did it. Somewhere in that screwed up brain you thought you were helping...that you were doing what was right. That's what happens when you shut people out. When you don't let them tell you where you've gone way out of bounds." Kato shifted, trying to stretch in the small space. "Anna has been talking to people...listening and gathering information. She hasn't even told me of all the details of her plan, you'll have to ask her when you get out...but I know that it would have destroyed the council from the inside out. Its too late for that now. I just hope that whatever comes next doesn't result in dozens of other people and children dying as well."

Pushing against the shelving Killian tried not to listen. He was practically accused of being crazy and he wasn't as concerned about that as he was about other things. "No more. Kato just stop!" Finally taking his hands down he shook the doctor. "I can't do it. You have to stop now. No more names, no more faces. They're all the same. Its the only way to get through this. She asked me to come back and I did. Whatever it took to get back and I quit caring because part of me died. I can't have anymore names or faces." A slightly wild expression had come to his eyes and they started to well up. "Stop...please just stop."

Kato turned his face towards Killian at his outburst and the pained look in his eye and he knew what he had to do. "Daniel was a beautiful little six year old. He had these large green eyes like his father. He got a bullet lodged in his skull...it put him in a coma. He died four days later." Tears were running down Kato's own face now. It was impossible not to grieve these children. "Josh and Emma...they were siblings. Emma...Emma was the worst. She was just trying to protect her little brother someone crushed her chest. She was choking on her own blood by the time she was brought to the table. All I could do was give her a sedative to put her to sleep before she choked to death."

"No no!" Killian yelled it all the louder and started to almost curl into a ball. He would have knocked himself out if he thought it would help, but he was more terrified of the dreams about the games than he was this. His breathing started to get uneven and his throat locked up until he started into hoarse sounding sobs. "Stop." Finally he buried his head and tried to ignore all the images in his mind. Keeping his face hidden he did his best not to think, but his brain was stuck on the games. He'd run through that whole thing like the games. Killian had completely lost it when he killed Dougal and he knew it.

Kato didn't know what sort of horror Killian was reliving...but if it meant that it was unburying his emotions then he knew he had to continue talking. He had to remind Killian of every face, every name, every person, every life...they were not statistics, not casualties...they were people. And he had forgotten that. So he continued. For the purpse of this moment, he didn't say a single name that had survived, but he spoke the names of all that had been lost...and who their families were and what they'd looked like. Kato always remembered the ones he lost, it was time Killian started remembering too

With no way to escape he just laid on the floor and cried. Killian couldn't stop Kato and he tried to get him to stop. After several minutes his body started to seize. It was only a short lived seizure of out 30 seconds and his eyes momentarily rolled into the back of his head before he started to become aware of what was happening again. Taking a deep breath he covered his face. "Kato stop. I can't do this. There's too many." His voice had lost almost any inflection and he murmured. "You weren't there and you don't know what they made us do. Just no more."

Kato looked down at the broken man. "You're right. I don't know what they made you do or the things you suffered. But I do know that it turned you so hard that you are numb to even the death of children. Numb to the death of your own child. You need to remember Killian, you need to deal with the pain. As long as you make yourself numb and hard, you won't be able to properly love your wife, your children or properly care about anyone. Its horrible, and its hard. I am tempted everyday to shut down my own emotions so that I don't have to deal with the pain of the children and young people dying on my table. But if I became numb, I would lose everything it means to be human, and love would be nothing but an action."

With his hands still over his face Killian groaned. "I'm not numb you idiot. I can't talk about it. Makes me crazy inside. Can't talk about the people that I killed. Too many of them and they were scared. Don't have to be an animal to sense it. You learn the look of fear and they all had it. They knew I was going to kill them and they tormented me...all their names." Letting out a long breath he tried to shift without moving his hands. "Talk to me about anything else. Tell me I've made a mistake, give me alternatives...anything, but you mention this ever again and I'm going to kill you." It was rather counter intuitive, but he couldn't come up with anything else. Not like they'd ever talked before so he couldn't threaten Kato with much.

"I've said what I've needed to say. Whether you take it to heart or throw it in the trash is up to you." Kato leaned against the supplies wearily. He was more than ready to leave this cage. But at the same time, he was glad to have been stuck in it. Everything he'd needed to say was said. And he felt he understood the man before him a little better.

For the remainder of the journey he laid on the floor with his hands over his face as if he were sick. He was...Killian felt sick to his stomach. He hadn't even remembered that they were on the ship until it landed on autopilot. Normally he would have liked to bring the ship in manually since it was safer and smoother, but they were stuck in here till someone came to get them out. As soon as the door came open he let his hands down. By now it had been long past the tears, but his eyes were almost dead. Stumbling around the edge of the door he grabbed the crutches and took himself home. He didn't want to see anyone for now and Killian went to the room to lay down in the dark. As tired as he felt he didn't want to sleep either. It was like a new devil had been woke inside and he didn't want to know what he would find. Instead Killian laid on the bed and tried to do everything in his power to stay awake, but not have to get up. Eventually he did fall asleep out of pure exhaustion.

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Anna smiled when Kato came through the door. She'd heard quite a bit of the fighting and the bruising on his cheek was proof of the fight. Gently kissing him she fell back on her heels again. "Why didn't you tell me about the patients? I would have listened....well I did anyway. You really should tell me when those things bother you."
 
Star had mixed feelings about Killian going off for a few days, but she knew the situation was urgent and didn't want to slow them down. She spent the first day finishing the move from the main bedroom to the guest bedroom. It was smaller and there was only one bed. But with a great deal of reorganizing she managed to push a second bed beside the first and put a large sheet over it as if it were one bed. The dressers were harder to fit now with two beds in the room and part of her felt stupid for making such a big deal out of all this.

She shook her head. No...she needed this. She couldn't stay in that room and if Killian and her were going to move forward, they had to try and get back to as close as normal as before. She finished making the bed and putting the dressers in when her datapad blinked with a message. Anna was inviting her over. Sweet woman. Some girl's time actually sounded really nice after all this and she really needed to get out of the house.

Star bundled up Claire and grunted as she lifted the growing babe into her arms. Claire had become more accustomed to her and now let her hold her without crying. It was such a blessing being able to hold her baby in her arms again, to hear her little voice babbling happily in her ears. She trotted over to Anna's house and knocked on the door. "Hey, got your message. Now a good time?" She asked with a light smile.
The little woman had already started to pull out a few snacks and she had another blanket set out for Claire. The girl was a bit more lively that Jacob, but she seemed to like the other baby. Just as she finished setting out the little spot for Claire she heard the knock at the door and rushed over to it. "Hey! Yes this is perfect timing."
"Oh good." Star smiled lightly and set Claire down on the blanket that had been provided then helped herself to cup of cocoa offering to make Anna some. "So, girl's day. This will be fun."
"They'll be gone for about 4 days so...." Anna went back into the kitchen to get the adult snacks. She loved lemon bars so that was what the got. "We have 4 days to have girls day and you should stay here with me."
That actually sounded amazing. She'd been dreading sleeping in that house by herself. "I'd like that. Thanks." She grabbed a lemon bar. "Jacob is getting big. How old is he now?"
"Oh he's about uh...5 months." Anna took a seat at the end of the table so she could see the babies. "How is Claire doing? Looks like she's accepting you alright."
Star nodded and looked over at the babe happily gnawing on a toy. "It's taken a while but she doesn't cry when I hold her now unless she is desperate for daddy." She looked back over at Anna. "I find myself really glad that she grows alot more slowly than a full blooded human. At least I havn' t missed too much of her life." She took a drink of her cocoa. "How do you like being a mom?"
Anna nodded carefully when Star described the relationship with the baby. She'd never seen how the family functioned. It was only ever Claire with her mother. At least that was what Anna saw. Her eyebrow raised a little in surprise. Killian held the baby? "You know I am surprised that I don't mind too much. Never thought that I wanted to have children. Sounds terrible, but I want to have another one."
"Why is that terrible?" Star chuckles. "I get in those moods sometimes too."
Star laughed as Anna's face turned red. "You talking about the sex or about the actual pregnancy?" Star smirks over her mug. "I do get what you mean though. I think if I hadn't been so stressed about Claire being half chip I think I would've enjoyed the pregnancy alot more as well."
"Both of them were great." Anna looked over her shoulder at the babies again. "You know I really liked all the extra attention from Kato. I'm kinda needy."
Star smiled lightly. "Kato is good with that. He's alot more attentive of people's emotional sides than killian, that's for sure. How has he been doing since the attack? I did what I could to help him out immediately after but there were alot of people."
"I think that the attacks bothered him. He's been pretty quiet when he gets home." Anna sighed. "I heard some of what happened, but you know I wish he would talk to me and tell me what's going on."
"It's hard talking about painful things." Star says knowingly. "He might also be tryong to protect you from it." She shrugged. "If you want to know you should just ask hin."
Anna smirked. "I could." She pulled up her pad. "I try to keep and eye and ear out for him. I don't think he and Killian get along. They haven't said a word to each other since they've got on that ship."
Star smirks. "Yeah well, kato kinda keeps butting his nose in where it's not wanted. I doubt they'll ever like each other. They are completely opposite."
"Oh good lord, like what?" Anna was a little concerned now. "I told him to stay away. I don't think Killian is stable."
"What do you mean by 'not stable'?" Star asks, trying to not get defensive with her friend. It was a stupid question though, considering what had just happened in the colony because of Killian. "Dougal needed to die. He's caused so many people to suffer. Maybe his attack was a bit unstable that day but that's not his norm."
Anna figured it would be a touchy subject. "That attack wasn't a good example of a stable person." As soon as she said it Star was jumping up to defend him. "I know you love him and you probably know him better than any of us. Still...Someone that can just jump up and do that isn't healthy. I have to admit that I'm afraid for Kato. They don't like each other and if Kato has been getting in his way what's going to stop Killian from hurting my husband."
"Cause he knows he would have to deal with me." Star says seriously. "He knows I have boundaries in areas like that and he'd better not cross them." Even as Star said that, she knew that with Killian there were far more grey areas than she cared to admit and she had to fight him on so many things that should've been common sense.
"What happens when you're not here?" Anna sighed. "I shouldn't have have said anything. You've got enough stress. Just sometimes it worries me. None of us know him and you're the closest person and the only one not afraid of him."
"He's got issues....everyone does. But he really does have a good heart. He just doesn't know how to deal with people and situations properly sometimes."

Anna nodded and tried to leave it there. She loved her friend and she didn't want her to be under anymore stress than she already was. So she just kept the pad on during the days while they were home. It was all good and nothing was happening. There was just so many confusing aspects to Killian. He seemed to be willing to do anything to save a man and then other times he would kill someone unexpectedly and think people should be ok with it.
While she was busy making lunch a few days later some yelling started and she didn't hear it with the sink running as she washed her hands and then she went to clean a few things. When Anna came back to the kitchen she heard the voices and immediately her eyes got wide and she turned the pad up. "Oh my gosh they're fighting."
"What!?" Star had just gotten dressed after a shower when Anna called from the kitchen. Star raced to the table sitting beside Anna as the fight grew in volime. She gasped as she heard a punch land. It sounded like it had come from Killian. "Sh**! Is there a way we can talk to them!?"
Anna's eyes only grew wider. "No there isn't. All I can do is listen to this. I told you."
Star narrowed her eyes at the little woman. "Maybe if would just shut up and..." her head jerked to the data as Kato demanded to know if Killian was regretful of the children who had been killed. This was the first Star had heard anything about children dying. Tears sprung to her eyes as the argument continued. Killian was being horribly stubborn and callous...he was making it sound like the children were an acceptable cost. She covered her mouth as the argument just got worse from there. "I don't understand...." She murmered. The worst part was...she kinda did. There were things about Killian that she overlooke, choosing to always see the best of him. But it was like Kato had just ripped off the covering Killian normally wore and was exposing all the worst parts. She so desperatly wanted to turn it off. Walk away. Stop listening. But she couldnt. All she could do was sit there and weep and wonder if she truly had made any progress with him or of if it all been a show to appease her.
Gradually Anna's gaze got wider. Kato was going to get himself killed. Her hand hovered over the pad. She was debating turning it off for the sake of Star and yet she wanted to know that her husband would be ok after all this. The doctor was pushing hard and he had a bad habit of pushing the wrong people at the wrong time. At the same time Star needed to know what others saw when they looked at Killian. What really came out. Perhaps he was different at home and that was why no one believed that he could be married to the woman he was. Then the talk took a very interesting turn and Kato started to give names of the children. She could hear the panic in Killian's voice. Anna glanced at Star and turned to her black screened pad to turn it down.
Star put a hand on Anna's hand, stopping her. "No..." She needed to hear...she needed to know if Kato was going to get through to him. Her heart wrenched every time Killian sceamed for Kato to stop. Kato didn't know. He had no idea the sort of horrible memories he was dredging up.
"Stop. Please just stop." She begged Kato even though he couldnt hear. "You dont know... You don't understand. Just back off!"
It was horrible. Anna didn't know what was going on and she was getting a little concerned. Setting the pad down she grabbed Star's hands. Partly she was terrified that Star telling Kato to back off meant that the doctor was in trouble. "What is it? What is going on?"
Star shook her head, still crying. "He doesn't understand. Killian just started healing from the games and Kato is bringing it all up again! He's treating him like he doesnt feel a thing but he had no idea how much pain he's bringing back up."
The other woman got quiet. She felt so bad now. Perhaps there was a reason that Killian didn't invest a lot of time into expressing emotions. "I'm so sorry." Anna stroked Star's hand. It got strangely quiet and she could hear the muttering and the threat from Killian. It seemed to be the end of it for now. "Why doesn't he get help?"
Star shook her head and wiped her eyes. "Who could help him? No one understands him. All everyone has chosen to see him as is a beast and monster. If he shared half the things he has with me, people would either try and kill him or imprison him."
Nodding a little Anna took a deep breath. "Then you need help. Star you can't do this all alone. I'll talk with Kato and maybe over the next few days we'll make an attempt to help. Does he even want help? Do you want help dealing with this and him?"
Star shrugged and shook her head, still distressed by all that she'd just heard. "Yes...but I don't know how you will. I've been trying for years...im barely holding myself together..."
"Kato is a doctor. Maybe he knows a few things. He's also a man and he may be able help communicate in ways that we don't." Anna rubbed Star's shoulders. "You need to let us try to help. Can you let me help you?"
Star nodded. She had no idea how Anna was going to be able to help. She understood the pain Killian wanted to bury and forget. But she also knew she was barely staying afloat and she needed someone to save her. Killian couldn't and Anna was the only other person who sorta knew her.
"How about you stay here tonight and let him have one night alone. He'll be ok." Anna got up and made another pot of tea. "I'll send Kato to check in on him in the morning."
Star nodded again. She wasn't sure if she could handle being around him right now anyway, "You sure sending Kato is the best choice? He doesnt know how to deal with Killian."
"Who else would I send?" Anna looked at her. "At least we both know Kato won't try to kill him or throw him in a prison somewhere. Maybe if you just give Kato a few hints and tell him not to let on he knows it would help."
"Ok." Her hands trembled as she touched the new cup of tea. "Thankyou, Anna."

"I'm gonna be here for you." Anna got up to walk to the bedroom. Peering inside she saw both the babies were sleeping. "Kids are still napping. Now, if you've got something you need off your shoulders you can talk with me."
Star chuckles bitterly. "Its not so easy as that. There are things I did, things to survive...I hate myself for it." Tears smarted her eyes. "I just want to forget the last 10 months and pretend they never happened."
Shaking her head the little woman met Star's gaze. "There isn't any one of us who know you that would hate you for doing what had to. As far as I've been able to tell it hasn't deterred Killian either."
Star let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, well. Killian took another woman to his bed half a year after I dissappeared. He doesn't get to judge..." She held the mug tightly, staring at the creamy brown tea swirling within. "I escaped the ship in an escape pod before it exploded. Landed on a prision planet and got trapped there. I nearly burned to death before they pulled me from the pod...and everything else went down hill from there." Once she started, it was easier to continue. With Anna she could share details she hadn't with Killian. About the people she'd met, the constant hunger and lack of basic needs being met. Her decline into desperation as the gang constantly ravaged her tent, attacked her and stole everything she'd managed to get. She told of the moment she broke down, thinking Killian was dead and knowing she had to get back to Claire. "I swore I never would...no matter how bad it got. But...when you're starving...dying...trying to get back to your child the worst thing in the world looks like your salvation." Star's eyes faded to that same dull light that Anna had seen the first day of her return. "So I joined the prostitutes. Entertained men, humans, chippequoti...even a gilick at one point, 5 nights a week and worked the mines during the day. I did that for 6 months until I'd gathered enough chromite to finish the sheild and make my escape. Then...I came home. But...its not home anymore. It's Killian's home...and he gave it to another woman only half a year after I had left. Worst part is I can't be angry with him cause I did worse..." Star shrugged wearily.
The story was startling, but she knew what kind of life it was that Star was describing, It was a life that she had been near a few times in her own life. "You know what. It's ok to be angry. Sometimes you have to be a little angry before you can heal." There wasn't any law that said what Killian did was wrong, however it wasn't something that Anna thought could pass as acceptable. "I'm thinking it might be easier for you to heal if you spend a little time away from him. Don't stay in that house. We can get your stuff and you can have the extra room here. Let him come back to you. I know you love him. What you need is to know that he still has that same crazy love. If he could accept a little help and come here to court you to love you without sharing his bed would that help?"
Star looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah. I think it would. I'm trying to be understanding and all, but being there...its really painful." Star took a trembeling breath, her hands shaking again. "Anna, there's something else..." Tears sprang to her eyes. "I couldn't tell him...but I need to tell someone...I'm pretty sure I was pregnant at least once. Maybe twice. Miscarriaged both...probably because of the std...the very thought of sleeping with Killian makes me sick and I just wish I could die sometimes." She dropped her head into her hands, sobbing bitterly. As painful as it was sharing everything, it was also as if a huge weight had lifted off her shoulders. Anna knew everything now and she hadn't run away, nor did she look at her with any judgement. It was such a relief to have everything said and to be comforted in a way Killian hadn't been able to.
It was almost impossible to tell if there would be any repairing the relationship. Star still cared deeply for Killian and that was obvious. The fact that she had admitted to being made sick by the idea of sleeping with Killian wasn't a good sign. That seemed natural in a way. There was a difference between doing what was necessary and what Killian had done. It was almost like a betrayal. Anna knew that as a woman and she had heard the reasoning from him and it made sense though it was a hasty move. Carefully she nodded and a frown rested on her face. It was a look of concern. Reaching out with one hand she rubbed Star's back. "You can do this. I'll be here and Kato will be here and Claire will be here. Star you need a few days and don't worry. I can take care of Claire for you. Claire will still know you're her mother, you'll be right here with her, but you can enjoy her as just a baby and I'll take care of her diaper, naps, and whatever else you need me to do while you heal."
"No...you don't have to do that." Star protests weakly. She felt bad about Anna trying to take care of her and two babies and a household on top of that. "Its too much. You've done so much already."
Star lifted her head and looked over at Anna. She sniffed, taking a deep breath as she recomposed herself. "How'd I end up with a friend like you?"
"Because you're the same kind of woman." Anna moved her hand off of Star's back and patted her hand. "It will work out. I know you'll be ok even if it doesn't feel like it right now."

Star nodded and sat up a little straighter. "Ugh...how am I going to tell him I can't be with him right now. How do I tell my own husband that he needs to...win me back...it sounds so selfish..."
They both knew that at some point Killian was going to ask her to come home and there was no telling when that would be, though Anna suspected it would be sooner rather than later. "You tell him the truth. Tell him that you feel insecure or betrayed. Whatever it is and say that you're taking a break for a while so that you can heal. Tell him that you want him to still come see you. Ask him to show you how much he loves you."
"Is that what you would do with Kato?"
Anna nodded. "Yes, that's what I would do. Its why that is the advice I'm giving you. If you always lower the standard because he hasn't developed some areas in his life then he won't excel. Expect more of him."
Star thought silently for a moment then stood. "I'm going to get my stuff before he comes back. I think I'll uh, leave a note. Make things a little easier. Thanks, Anna." She gives the little woman a grateful hug.
It was perhaps best if Star collected her things by herself so Anna nodded. "I'll just stay here with the babies."

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"Oh, you heard that did you? Eyes and ears everywhere..." Kato sighed lightly, holding her close. "I know you would have listened, but...I suppose in my own way I'm trying to protect you. No new mother needs to hear about the children around her dying. That is too cruel. And...I need you to be the happy one after those sorts of days."
Anna looked up at him. "I know what happens anyway. My days I spend listening. Its one thing I'm good at." She couldn't help a slight frown. "You know I'm happy anyway and there is always something good too. You're good and I'm glad that I have you."
Kato bent his neck and kissed her. "Me too." He let her sit him at the table. He didn't feel all that hungry after the argument with Killian but he ate a little anyway. "So, how much of the argument did you hear?"
"A good portion of it. I heard it starting somewhere after Killian must have hit you." Anna continued with her last minute meal preparations. "I was a little scared for you. Always thought if you pushed like that he would snap your neck. Why would you do something like that in a tiny little supply room where you can't even run?"
"Cause he can't run. He has to sit there and listen to me. And...he knew, if he killed me...he'd have both you and Star to deal with." Kato touched the bruise on his jaw. "He needed to be confronted, you heard what he said. Made me mad...madder than I've ever been I think. Nearly hit him back."
Anna raised an eyebrow. "My lovely even tempered doctor was angry?" She knew it possible though it was in some ways hard to envision. "Maybe you should have hit him back." Sighing she met his gaze. "It was best you didn't. If there was a real fist fight I don't if you would look this good."
Kato chuckled lightly. "Yes, Anna. Even I get angry sometimes. But even angry my mind works overtime. I knew hitting him back would've just made things worse." He shrugs. "Its over now, I'm home. The patient survived, for which I'm glad. That's all that really mattered."
Nodding a little she pushed away from Kato to go get the pot of pasta from the stove. Setting it on the table she began to serve up the plates. "Well we all learned something I think."
"Oh, what did you learn?"
"That you could get angry and it seems our 'sociopath' isn't quite a sociopath. Just messed up as hell." Anna sat down at her place and pushed a bite of food into her mouth.
"I still think he has sociopathic tendencies." Kato said with a shake of his head. "But yes...he is messed up. And now the other colonists are looking to him to finish the fight he started. Its all one big mess." He looked up at Anna. "If things get too dangerous, I'm stealing a ship and I'm getting you out of here."
Anna looked at Kato and smirked. "Oh I have plenty of work to do. If you can talk with him and get him on board with us to help me then I don't think you'll have time to get me out of here. We need to make the most out of this while we can." Getting quiet for a moment she sighed. "You know I do wonder if we use him though....You know like he said. We all want him to do the dirty work and when its over we can't believe he did it. I think we might have guilty of that once or twice."
"Perhaps. I suppose we should make a point never to again."
 
When Star came back in the general area Anna set out another place for her. "There we are." She glanced at Kato and shrugged. Later they could talk a little bit about what was going on. The evening was fairly quiet with the babies squeaking at each other. They seemed to love being in one another's company and Claire just gazed at Jacob with bright green eyes and her little curls had gotten long enough to put into a tie on top her head. It was an adorable fountain of little ebony waves. Since the next morning was going to be early for Kato they went to bed shortly after the kids were asleep. Anna got into the bed with him and began to rub on his back. "We might have to start off where we ended last time." A little smirk came to her face.

"I got a few things to talk to you about too." Running a hand along his shoulder she felt a knot there and gently worked at it. "Star is going to be staying with us for a while. She needs a break, there were so many things to work through after that and Killian isn't capable of helping her." If it was in his power to help her Anna was pretty sure that he would. "Also brings me to another point. Could you check on him tomorrow? Maybe see if there is such a thing as Killian willing to accept help? He needs someone to hold him accountable like you said and right now you're the only person that seems to have stepped up to the plate. Just...Star was worried about the way your pushed. Maybe it was a good thing, but be careful in that area."

Kato nodded as he listened. "Sure. That's fine. I'm glad you got her to open up to you. As for Killian though, uh, I'm not convinced he won't punch me again if I probing him again." He looked over his shoulder at her. "What happened to staying as far away as possible from him?"

Anna chuckled nervously. "Star is convinced that he's got a good heart under all that. I don't think she would have married him if she didn't truly believe that. She was worried for him not you when that conversation came up. He hasn't said a word to anyone about the games until you started to push him on his life and Star told me he's still not over it. Well he talked to her and it was pretty bad."

Kato "hmms" thoughtfully. "I gathered as much. There were some things he was blurting out that were a bit confusing on their own but...put them together with everything else...I get the idea he's barely holding together a hard outershell with a very broken and dysfunctional inside." He sighs. "I'll do what I can...no promises he'll accept my help."

"That's all you can do. The rest of it is up to him." Anna really didn't think that Killian would open up and just pour his heart out. Wasn't like the man from what anyone knew of him. However, Kato knew that guys didn't always do that and he would probably be able to talk to Killian in a different way. Maybe Killian wanted help and maybe not. Anna leaned a little closer and kissed him. "Mmmm now that we got that taken care of I think you need some loving care from your wife." There were times when she was a bit overwhelming and she hoped this wasn't one of them.

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The next morning the house was strangely quiet. Killian laid on the bed with an arm over his face. Nobody was here and he didn't have to function, not yet. Star would be back probably pretty soon and then he would have to get up so it was better to do it now. She might figure that something was wrong otherwise. If she came in last night she was quiet, or maybe she was coming back today.

Eventually he hauled himself from the bed and stared at the mess in the house. "Ugh." Limping into the other bedroom he noticed that the bed wasn't even disturbed. It was just two beds pushed together and in many ways just looking at it was lonely. Killian groggily pulled a few things out of the dresser and he started to get dressed. By the time he got to the kitchen he found a note. Gimping over to the couch with an occasional wince he sat down and put his leg up on the coffee table. He couldn't believe it. After all this she was taking a break. She wasn't ready for them to be back together. After all that time he was more than ready. If he had to prove himself to her then he would. Today wasn't really a good time since he was still trying to work through a foggy brain after being awake almost all night long.

It was almost time for dinner and Killian hadn't even moved from the couch. He laid on it all day and the letter sat on the floor in front of him. Many times he caught himself listlessly staring at the walls and he would try to think of something to do and he thought of the council and then all those kids. Swallowing hard he tried to muster the ambition to get up and cook something for himself, but even that wasn't enticing. Finally a knock on the door sounded and he felt somewhat hopeful. The first step on his leg he almost fell over and he put a hand out to brace against the wall. When he got to the door it was the last person he expected. "So you've come back to haunt me on behalf of the dead? You're a sick bastard you know that."

"I'm here on behalf of Star...and yourself...if you'll let me." Kato says, unimpressed by Killian's contempt of him.

Killian frowned at him. "For what?" Opening the door a little wider he peered outside. This was too strange. "Really, what do you want?"

"Really...I want to help you deal with whatever crap you're dealing with so that you can help Star with hers. Do you want her back or not?" He asked with crossed arms.

This was an odd offer and Killian stepped aside. "You can come in, but I don't what the hell you think you're talking about." He cringed slightly knowing he was a horrible liar.

Kato almost took a step inside but instead he shook his head and turned away. "If you think you're perfectly fine and that you've got nothing you need dealing with then I'm not going to waste my time. At least now I can tell Star I tried..." He takes a step off the porch.

"Well you could at least come in and sit down or something." Killian had to admit that any distraction sounded good right now. "Her letter isn't all that helpful and I can't read half of it."

Kato looked over his shoulder for a moment and then as if relenting he followed Killian inside the house. "What letter is that?" He asked, sitting in a near by chair. Killian hands him the letter and he looks over it, reading it allowed. "Dearest Killian, coming back home and finding out you were still alive was a bittersweet moment. I was so happy you were still alive, but the pain of knowing what I had done, coupled with the fact that you replaced me with another so soon after I disappeared is still so strong. I can't be in that house, knowing someone else captured your heart and made that house their home. I need time to heal, time to process through the pain. I need to know you still love me above everything else...that I'm still the most important thing in your world. I need to know that she still doesn't have a hold of your heart. If you want us to get back together, please...pursue me. Show me you still love me. Show me you're willing to work through your pain and grow from it. Show me you still care about growing in morality, for me. I love you forever." Kato looked back up at Killian, handing the letter back to him.

Surprisingly the doctor came back and Killian sat down on the sofa. Handing the letter to the doctor he figured it was the easiest way to ask for help getting Star back. It was much easier to have Kato read it out loud and a few of the problematic words made more sense now. At the end Killian took the letter back and sighed. "How much more could she want? I already sent Thiza away and I haven't talked with her or seen her since the day of the fight." Killian glanced at Kato. "You and Anna. What do you do?" The whole idea of showing a woman how much you cared was a nebulous concept at best. "I try to do everything she asks no matter how hard it is and she has a home, and I work, if she wants to travel we do. What else is there?"

Kato blinks at Killian. "Wow...honestly how have you kept her this long??" He shakes his head. "Listen, Killian. If there is one thing I've learned about women, especially since marrying Anna, its that love doesn't just reach the highest point its gonna get at marriage. Even in the commitment of marriage you still have to constantly show your wife that you love her and adore her above everything else. Star has been gone for almost a year. The day she comes back she finds out you've already replaced her with someone else. Think about it from her perspective. Your love for her was so shallow that it was replaced very easily by another woman...no matter what your intentions were at the time. Add to that, you never even thought about the sort of pain inviting her to the same bed as the other woman would cause her. Those two things alone would be enough to make any woman wonder if their man actually loved them or were just keeping them around for sake of sleeping with them.

Already Killian was starting to wonder which he preferred, being alone or having to listen to Kato's lousy criticism. "I kinda figured that one out on my own." Growling he shifted on the couch a little to put his leg up. "What I don't get is how you show a woman you care about her beyond providing the basic needs. Before her the only women I knew were whores. They were excited if they had a client that paid for the whole night and only had sex once or twice and then left in the morning. It was an easy night."

Kato looked at Killian sympathetically, though the sympathy was more for Star than Killian. "After a little over a year of marriage you must have picked up some things. What has she taught you about how to love her?"

"I learned to wait." Killian sighed. "Think what you want, but I didn't sleep with her till after you rescued us. I tried to listen to her and treat her like an equal and not just another part of crew." He was trying to wrack his brain for anything that he could put a finger on. "She didn't want me to leave her the last time stuff happened so I tried to learn from that and uh...Star had me talk with her everyday about something."

“So, knowing you won’t abandon her is a big deal to her. Knowing you care about what she has to say is also important. She probably likes it when you leave her gifts, right? Especially ones with sentimental value?”

"I guess." Killian shrugged, "That's not going to win her though. She wants more than that. A woman worth having isn't bought with gifts."

“Of course. The gifts are just a means to an end. They are one way of showing her the a) you love her and are thinking about her and b) that you know her...you know her likes, her dislikes, things that make her happy, things that make her sad. She so important to you that you care about every aspect of her life. She is something you study, you cherish and hold close. Next time you get together with her, talk with her with the intent of learning everything about her that you still don’t know, then remember it...and find a way to show her you remembered and actually care.” Kato leaned back in his seat. “I am certain there are other things she cares about deeply that aren’t physical. Do you know her dreams? Do you know what makes her come alive inside? Do know what makes her feel fullfilled and good as a person? Anything that is important to her, needs to be important to you, no matter if you understand it or not.”

Chuckling a little he shook his head. "Study her." Lowering his voice it almost went to base tones and he laughed again. "Oh I've done plenty of that. Watched her for years to know what it was that she loved." A few thoughts came to his mind and he had the answer for the majority of those questions that Kato asked. Now that he had a few answers and he felt thoroughly distracted Killian got up from his spot and he decided to go dig under his bed for a few of the rocks that were supposedly poison. He wanted to try testing them again. Limping back out of his room he sat on the couch spot nearest Kato. "Can I talk you into letting in the labs? I remember how to make them work. If they lied about other things then I'm wondering if the council lied about the rocks poisoning me during the mining."

Kato gave him a weird look. "Is this your way of saying I'm done talking about Star?"

"Yes and no." Killian frowned a little. "You're not tracking with me are you?"

"Not really." Kato shook his head.

"Oh well it doesn't matter. I just have an idea is all." Killian raised an eyebrow. "Well? Can I come into the labs sometime tomorrow and run a few tests?"

"I suppose. As long as you clean all the equipment after you do." Kato stood. "There is one more thing, Killian. That bit in her letter about dealing with your pain...thats the main reason I'm here. Our wives overheard the argument we had in the ship. That could be another reason for her keeping her space for the time being."

Standing with Kato he walked with him to the door and before the doctor got there he turned to mention one last thing. Killian paled slightly and he shook his head. "I can't. Its the past and I just have to leave it alone." He was a little frustrated that both women heard that. "I'll see you tomorrow at the labs." His heart felt like it had already come to the base of his throat and he was almost sick feeling. As soon as Kato was out the door Killian took the rock back to the bedroom. He needed to get started on his project so that he could try and keep his mind off all of that.

In the event that there wasn't poison in the mountains Killian planned to start building a little cabin there. Somewhere he and Star could live quietly and away from everyone for a few weeks as soon as it was warm outside. It could be peaceful and he needed to make an off planet trip or two as well. Kato gave him a few ideas and Killian didn't mind just chatting with the other man. Life was ok to talk about. He was lonely enough feeling without Mike and no Star and not even Claire that he didn't think he would mind Kato stopping again. Just as long as he didn't talk about the Games. Killian started to make little sketches of the mountain cabin and he figured he could maybe talk with Kato about the findings tomorrow.

By mid morning the next day Killian snuck into the back of the medical ship and he wandered into the labs. "Hey." Almost whispering the word he passed behind Kato with a small box of rocks and various samples he had collected from the mountains during his many weeks of travel while Star was gone. He always liked that place and he stopped a few times in the area and surrounding grounds.

Taking up one of the seats he put on a pair of gloves and even though they were xxl they still felt a little bit small and tight. Cleaning between each sample he ran them through the machines and waited for the results to come up on the computer. When it finally displayed he printed it out and set it on the counter before he cleaned again. Killian read over the results and most of it didn't make any sense to him. He could understand the numbers though the majority of the findings had names far too complicated for him to interpret. "Kato what the hell does this all mean? Is it actually poisonous?"
 
Kato looked down at the readout that Killian had handed him. He looked over the pages carefully. "Not at all. I mean, any metal is harmful to the body if you eat it or breath in shavings...but this would not slowly poison you naturally. It would have to have been actually ingested. So unless you were actually eating these rocks there should have been no reason for the actual mine to make you sick."
"Good. At least I know they're lying bastards about everything. Consistency is nice." Grumbling under his breath he shoved the various samples of rocks and vials of dirt into the box again. "Means I can start some of my project then."
"What project?"
Killian stopped stuffing the box for a moment and eyed Kato with a tint of suspicion. "I don't like telling you things. You got this judgmental complex and it makes me nervous."
Kato chuckled. "Am I judgmental or do I just point out things you're uncomfortable with. Like your disregard for the lives lost during the massacre, and your refusal to acknowledge that what you did was wrong."
Almost instantly Killian flared up. "I didn't need you to tell me that was my damn fault. Already knew that, but I didn't know of a better way and neither had I thought about it. If you don't take action in life you get killed or run over and you get what you deserve."
Kato twirled in his chair. "Action is necessary in many cases...I don't have a problem with that. I do have a problem when the ends justify the means. That as long as you get the intended results, how you got there doesn't matter...that sound accurate for you?"
The question was a good one. "Uh...." Killian knew the right answer and he knew the one that matched himself. "Some of the time. Most of the time. I'm working on that one."
Kato nodded. "The correct answer is that the ends never, ever justify the means. When you learn that, I'll guarantee the majority of your morality issues will begin to come into alignment and you'll start to understand where the rest of us are coming from."
"I know the damn answer!" Killian growled at Kato and continued, "You want me to honest about it or lie to your face? The way you phrased the question made the desired answer easy to pick out. Reality is that we all justify ourselves and why we do things. You're justifying the way you prod me with some sort of logic and how you get there doesn't seem to matter."
"Now that isn't true." Kato replied. "If it didn't matter to me...I wouldn't even be talking to you. If I didn't care I'd let you rot in your mess and pray Star got the sense to get out while she still could." Kato stood. "You're just used to no one ever confronting you cause they are too terrified of you to make you mad. I'm not. If you want to resolve things with Star, I am here...and I am going to do my damnedest to help. If you don't though, I'll leave you be and nary speak a word to you again."
"There it is. You justify what you do here and all course of action." Killian frowned. "That's what I don't understand about people. Its this....logic thing. Sometimes you make sense and other times you have this little hair cutting method to separate yourselves from good or evil. I'm trying to figure out why an action can be noble one time and damnable the next time. Its a very complicated process of analysis. Its not consistent. You're not consistent." Stepping a little closer to Kato he stared into his eyes. "More than most and I can respect that so..." Pausing for a long moment he sighed and picked his box of stuff off the table. "I know you're doing this for Star. That's what makes you consistent and for the first time you're not trying to take her from me and that's where you confuse me."
"There are always going to be different motives, Killian. There will always be justifying. There comes a point where you figure out where your line in the sand is and you justify yourself to prove that you are doing the thing you need to do without crossing your boundaries. And because we each have different boundaries, we need each other to help figure out if we are too far off, or if we're actually acting honorably and morally. Its not black and white, and it fluctuates with different situations. But there is one line you can almost always count on...how is your actions affecting others? Is it harming good people? Then it is wrong. Is it harming bad people...it could be wrong...depends on the situation. Is it harming yourself...that's up to you to decide."
A low laugh started and he nodded. "Hmmm...That was a good answer. I'll see you later." For now it was easier to try and skip out as long as Kato didn't say anything else. Killian stopped at the doorway. "I liked having a conversation with you. It was....how would you say that? Informative."
Kato nodded. "Hope it helped."
"Well it was interesting anyway." Killian pushed the back door to the lab open and started outside. He had effectively evaded the question of the project for now. Rest of it would be quiet and Kato probably wouldn't remember.

Kato shrugged at the man and returned to his work. At least they were conversing now like gentlemen. Whether or not he was making progress remained to be seen.
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Star lay in the bath, the water steaming hot. There was a weight off her shoulders now that she wasn't trying to force herself back with Killian before she was ready. She couldn't believe she'd admitted to Anna that she got sick every time she thought about her and Killian sleeping together. It was in her nightmares as well. As if Killian was just one of the men who paid for her to be with him...and she knew in the back of her mind that he'd been with hundreds of other women just like her...but he was trying to convince her she was different. It was a horrible dream, she hated it. She hated it even more because she knew that was how she felt right now.

Star sighed. Knowing she could stay here for several days and not have to worry about anything but herself was therapeutic. Anna was giving her permission to take her time, to heal, to get back as close to normal as possible. And while the thoughts that came while she was alone weren't always pleasant...at least she had a chance to work through them. After the bath was done, she dried off her skin and rubbed some of the repairitive lotion over the burn scars on her shoulder and face. Then she took her 2nd anti-biotic of the day and put on her glasses. She kept forgetting to wear them in the midst of everything, but they really did help her see better. Leaving the bathroom she went and found Claire who was squealing with Jacob over a toy that squirmed its way across the floor. She lay next to the children and turned the toy so it started walking towards Claire. The baby laughed and smacked at it with her meaty hands.

Star looked over her shoulder as Anna greeted her from the kitchen. "Evening." She got up and kissed Claire on the top of her curly head before walking to the kitchen to help with the meal. "Thanks for watching Claire." She picked up a knife to help with the vegetables. "Any news from Kato on how things are going with Killian? Its been two days since I wrote that letter and I still haven't heard a word from him." Star couldn't help but wonder if she'd gone to far in her demands this time. What if Killian had decided she weren't worth it and ran back to Thiza? The thought nearly put her in the pits of despair again and she took a breath, trying to force her mind towards something more positive.

The blonde had finished reading a book to the kids when Star came in and then the question hit. Anna had suspected it would be coming fairly soon. "You know I'm not too sure. Seemed the first meeting Killian was pretty upset, but he did invite Kato in. Its difficult to read him. Very hard to tell where he's actually at with things. You might ask Kato how it went today. Killian had said he wanted to come into the labs today."
"Probably researching things. That's his hobby." Star put the cut vegetables in the soup. "You and Kato...you guys going to stay with the colony after this whole mess is figured out?"
Anna sighed. "I don't know. We haven't really thought that far ahead. At least I haven't. For now I've been busy listening. I didn't know research was a hobby of Killian's. He always struck me as more of a rough uh...uneducated person. What does he research?"
"Bio stuff. Things having to do with the world around him. Plants, trees, minerals. Its why the bippens thought he'd make a good mapmaker. He's super attentive to those sorts of details. You know the only reason I escaped was because he had me help him research how to mine chromite and how to processes it."
"Really?" Anna got a rather shocked expression. "Hmm..." Mentally she was already adding a note to herself not to say anything to Star about some of her ideas. "Well I guess having a little research might come in handy from time to time."
"That's what he said. 'Never know when you might need it to get out of trouble.'" Star sighed. "I miss him. I miss us..."
"If he really loves you he will be back. How long does it take him to get out of a tailspin?" Anna knew that Kato had sort of started one. "If he's researching isn't that a good sign?"
Star shrugged. "The last time he got triggered about the games, he didn't talk to me for three weeks. I suppose its a good sign that he's talking to Kato, but...I don't know. I really don't. Sometimes I think I understand him...then there are times I'm not sure I ever really knew him."
"Oh." Anna took a deep breath. "Try talking to Kato to see how it went. It might be good sounding." That was debatable in Anna's mind. "Star, I think you do know him. At least better than any of the rest of us. Is it the fact that he doesn't talk much and then you don't know what to ask him? If that's the case start asking him random things. I love to surprise Kato with random things. I even put a condom in his pocket one time. Too bad there was a breeze and it swept the condom away. He turns red so easy."
Star laughed. "You're so mean, Anna. Poor guy."
"Hey I didn't plan for the wind to come up." Anna started laughing. "It was funny though."
The two laughed heartily as Anna continued to share stories. And for the first time in a while, Star felt almost normal.
 
Killian spent the rest of the day trying to move stuff from one room into the other. He planned to have it all moved and then he could start hauling stuff from the ship. However, by the time he got the house all cleared up and he shoved their stuff into the tiny bedroom and put all the furniture in what used to be their room his leg had started to ache and it was oozing a little blood. No stitches were broken, but it was certainly sore. Still he needed just a few more things from the ship and then he had plans to go ask Frank about borrowing a few tools. If he wanted to get started on this project he had to give something to Star to get her excited about it. Just talking about his ideas never seemed to get very far. In fact Killian was pretty sure he had a lot of good ideas that he never bothered to follow through on because something else more pressing or exciting came up.

Grabbing the crutches he struggled through the snow till he got to Franks. "Hey can I borrow the chisels, saw, sandpaper and lacquer?"

"Wood project?" Frank was a little curious. Last he knew Killian hated working with wood or anything of the sort. "Um sure. Let me go out to the shop with you and help you get it all packed out to uh...Is it heading to the ship for something?"

"Oh no." Killian grinned. "I got the whole middle of the house cleared. Moved all the furniture into the one bedroom so I've got the dining room and the living room empty." He was feeling especially proud of himself at this point. Once he and Frank had all the tools in the house Killian decided to go for a walk. Taking Star with was debatable. What he really wanted to do was look at some trees.

It was only a few hours later and he went out to his ship to get the air lift so he could haul stuff and he took the saw to cut down a tree. Killian spent all the afternoon running different chunks of the wood through a planer and then chopping limbs off. He would haul it all into the house when he was done. Unfortunately Killian forgot to give himself a space to sleep so he took the cushions off the sofa and tried to sleep there. Several times he woke up till he was so frustrated that he put the cushions aside and began to work again. Thankfully he was far enough away from neighbors that most of them weren't bothered by the screaming of the sander while he finished the edges on the board.

While he was working Killian forgot to eat and he couldn't hear even the knocks on his door. Working all the way into the next night he finally had a nearly complete product. All he needed was to get it all assembled and that would be after he cleaned the house up from the sawdust and wood chunks. A scattering of gold laid on the snow just outside the door and then it was trampled in and the wood soaked up the snow and turned a brownish color. One of the neighbors saw him hauling stuff back out of the house and then he took the tools back to Frank.

For now Killian knew that he couldn't really change the house that they lived in, but it could be different. Loading up most of the furniture including the bed he took it out to the airlift and loaded it into his ship and flew off.

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It had been a week since Star left and Killian finally had everything the way he wanted it. Now he figured that he could try to start courting her. He had the bedroom all redone and the living room was mostly different since he traded the couch and chairs out for new ones and an olive canopy. Killian chose some deep red and gold bedding to go with the canopy. It almost looked like fall and he liked those colors. Star he hoped would. The one thing he didn't buy was a new bed set.

By now his leg was mostly healed up since he had received a few treatments to speed the healing process. Killian gathered a few flowers and wrote a note for Star. Star I waz theenking abowt yu al week. :) Killian Knocking on the door he set it down and then started to walk home. Tomorrow he would have to think of something else for her. Maybe he could invite her to dinner. How was he supposed to win her back he wasn't sure. This wasn't something he was familiar with and he had brainstormed all week while he was working on the project. It wasn't quite related to the rocks, but they gave him ideas.

Anna got up from her place in the living room and opened the door. "Hey Star it looks like someone went out to the woods to pick some winter flowers for you and there's a....note." Dragging out the last word she cocked her head to the side. It was really bad handwriting and the spelling was atrocious. "I hope you can read the note."

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Killian waited till the next morning even though he wanted so badly to go back to the house tonight. Instead he made a thermos full of cocoa and packed two cups. It was cold outside and it wasn't quite light outside. That was what made it all the better. Since he couldn't sleep this was a good option. Every night that he hadn't slept he spent making drawings or thinking about new ideas of what he could do. Despite all his thinking it wasn't getting better. The games were always sitting in the back of his mind and he was starting to get a little concerned. Maybe he was crazy. What if he never did get past this and Star left him? Her being dead was one thing, but her leaving because he couldn't get over this was another. No matter what he tried it was obvious by the rings under his eyes that he didn't sleep well for the last several nights at the least.

Trudging through the snow he walked up to Kato and Anna's house. After he walked around to the back he spotted Star's room and he tapped on the window. Holding the thermos up he pointed to it and then beckoned for her to come out. Killian walked around to the front of the house to wait for Star. When she stepped out he grinned. "Thought you might like to have some cocoa and watch the sunrise."

There wasn't a lot of talking, but there was one thing that he knew he needed to talk to her about. "Star, I love you. This week wasn't because I wanted to avoid you. I tried to outwork the dreams. Stayed up all night almost every night and I still can't sleep. Really I am sorry...so sorry about this, what happened to you, that you had to hear that the other day. I wanted to take care of you and I can't till I get this fixed. Made an appointment to see Kato in his office. Officially as a doctor. I'm serious about getting you back and if I have to do this so I can be what you need to be then I will."

Once they made it to the top of the ridge he poured a cup for Star and one for himself. Quietly he watched the sun start to creep over the trees below them while he drank the cocoa. Glancing at Star who was standing next to him brought a slight grin to his face. "I got a few ideas at the lab the other day. Never did get to build a house for you. Somebody always finished it so instead I did something else. I re-did some of the stuff in the house we have right now. Not sure how long it will take for us to move, but its not the same. Could show it to you before I walk you back to Kato and Anna's if you want." Killian momentarily felt like he did back as a captain. Just talking to Star like it was a matter of fact. Nothing to special. He was nervous though. What if she didn't like it? What if it wasn't enough and she still couldn't stand the house?

At the door of the house he took a deep breath and pushed the door open. He'd taken gnarled branches off a tree and sanded the wood smooth and hung little lanterns from them. The living room had a new couch and more lanterns. Kitchen was a lighter wood table and he opened the guest bedroom which was still the same except that it was obvious he'd been sleeping in there. "The most work was in the other room." Killian walked over to the main room and opened the door. "I got new dressers and a canopy for the bed I made. Saving it till you're ready to come home. If you don't want it in here I could move it."

This was in many ways the part he had been the most nervous about. He didn't know how she would take it that he made a new bed for her. Killian kept his gaze locked on the wall and stuffed his hands into his pockets while he waited to hear a reaction of any kind. It was almost silent and that was even worse in some ways. "I thought a lot about you while I was working on the house." Cautiously he looked over at Star still half afraid that he put in all the work and it wouldn't be good enough.

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The appointment with Kato was set to be fairly early in the morning so Killian knew his time with Star wouldn't drag too long. He had enough time to shower and try to look like he was functioning when he went to the clinic. Finally his turn came and he followed the nurse back to the room and he waited for Kato. Eventually the doctor stepped in and Killian sighed. "Tried damn hard for a whole week to make it. I can't do it anymore. There's no one at the house to take care of or distract me, no crew to bicker with, and I can't stand it. Kato its driving me crazy. I need help."
 
Star tried not to lose hope. But as a week went by and no word came from Killian and he refused to talk to Kato she couldn't help but begin to wonder if she'd just driven him away. Anna tried to assure her, but the little woman didn't seem very sure herself either. Her friend reminded her she couldn't do anything about Killian at this point, but she could help herself. And so she did. With Anna's help she colored her hair that bright pink she loved so much and even out the rough edges so it looked stylish. She went through her boxes of clothes and threw out old outfits that either didn't fit her right or she just didn't like anymore. She dressed up everyday, fixing her hair and even did her makeup. She needed her confidence and happiness back outside of Killian. He had been her life for so long...time to rediscover her life for herself.

Claire clearly loved her hair cause the moment she came into the room the toddler squealed in delight. The little girl pulled herself up onto her trembling legs, using the coffee table as support and stretched out her arms. "Mama!" That was all Star needed to just about lose it.
"Hi, baby! Look at you! Already standing! Aren't you strong." She knelt before the toddler with a proud smile and gathered her in her arms. Immediately the babe went for her hair, tugging at the strands she could manage to grasp. Star giggled at her baby's fascination. "Ah, I bet you're a lover of pink like me, hmm?"
"Bean!" Claire squealed.
"Pink."
"Bean!"
Star laughed and hugged her tighter. She didn't even care Claire couldn't say it right. She would eventually. Even if for some reason things didn't work out with Killian, at least she had Claire and Anna.
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"Hey Star it looks like someone went out to the woods to pick some winter flowers for you and there's a....note."
Star took the flowers in her hand and looked over the note, adjusting her glasses. She giggled, tears springing to her eyes as she just managed to make out the words. "Killian...he said he's been thinking about me all week. Took him long enough." She lets out a relieved sigh.
"Hmmm." Anna grinned. "Well that's a romantic gesture I guess. Did he write anything else on the back?" Somehow she was used to getting much more lengthy notes and this one was just that short. "Not much for words in writing either is he?"
Star shook her head. "No. Up till about a year and a half ago he couldn't even read. This much is alot for me to get."
"He was stuck in bed with nothing else to do. It was the only way he'd concentrate long enough to even bother." She shook her head at the memory. "I guess this means he's ready to start trying to move forward."
Even though Anna still figured that Kato didn't approve of Killian she was going to support Star in this. Her friend chose this man and she was going to do everything she could to give Star the support she needed. "You've put a lot of time into him. It will be good to see him put some time into you. Learn to employ his brain with new ways to surprise you. He's at least trying to be semi creative."
"Knowing him he's got something bigger up his sleeve. This is just like...an intro or invitation. A reminder he's still thinking about me, thinking about us."
Anna grinned. "Oh so he's the elaborate kind. Does he do little things in between or is it all or nothing?
"Eh, more like all or nothing." She shrugged. "I've kinda gotten used to it."
A grin started to come to her face. "You know what they say. It's the little things that count. Maybe he'll catch on one day that a few little things sometimes mean more than the one giant elaborate surprise."
"He's not really romantic. The only women he's ever had before me were..." Her face darkened as her mind went to a painful place. "Uh, but...he's come a long ways..." Star said trying to switch gears. "And he's trying...that's what really matters." She manages a small smile then lifts the flowers. "I'm going to put these in water."
Catching the pause it was easy enough to fill in the blank. Anna figured it was time to remind her of something else then. "Well, maybe being romantic isn't a strong suite. There was a reason that you chose him. That's the nice thing about being the woman. You get the last word on these things. If a relationship works or not." Pausing for a moment she looked at the flowers and then Star. "How does he treat you? Really? I want to know if I'm encouraging you to go back to him that you're not gonna be treated like trash."
"He really does treat me well, Anna. Around me...he's safe to let his guard down and be more vulnerable, kind. The version of him everyone else sees is just him trying to protect himself and the things he cares about. I'm about the only thing in the world he trusts...the rest of the world is out to get him...you know? I'm trying to teach him different but this whole thing with the chips and the colony kinda just reaffirmed all his fears that people are constantly out to get him. Point is...he makes me happy. He really does. He listens to me and respects me. He treats me like an equal and if I'm upset he does everything in his power to fix it...even if it means working on himself." She smiles thoughtfully, as she fingers the flowers. "The thing about Killian is he doesn't believe in any gestures that don't have some sort of meaning. I think he doesn't like to give little gifts because he tries to show he loves me by protecting me and providing for me. Then sometimes he gets a burst of inspiration of how to give me something really special. Thats when he does something really big and elaborate but always really, really meaningful."
Anna took a deep breath. "Ok. That's completely opposite of what the rest of us see. I was just concerned that's all." Gently putting a hand on Star's shoulder she smiled. "Every woman is different and I suppose that's why we need different kinds of men. You know I've been meaning to tell you something." Motioning for Star to sit down Anna took the other side of the table. "It does take time, but you can get back to being yourself and feeling comfortable with him. You maybe know and maybe didn't that I used to be a drug addict. Used to sell myself for drugs. There wasn't a single thing too low for me. I would do anything for that next fix. Kato had to deal with all that and then I betrayed him with the spying. It was the best when I finally told him and we could work through it together. Remember, I called you and bawled my eyes out cause I thought when I told him about the spy work that he would leave me and then I thought that he wouldn't ever touch me again after the hallucinations. Tried to seduce him for drugs." A tint of pink came to her cheeks. "Point is that we both know what happened in the past and what our commitments are now. Since you want him and it sounds like Killian wants you then make sure you know what's in the past so you can plan for the future. Make sure he knows too and you'd better be the only woman he sees." Anna began to smirk. "He looks at you like you're the queen of the galaxy. I've noticed that look once or twice."
Star was a little stunned by Anna's story. She never would've thought this unassuming little woman had that sort of past. No wonder she'd been able to help her so much without a hint of judgement. She also found herself gaining a new level of respect for Kato. She couldn't help feeling sometimes he held himself too high, especially when it came to Killian. But maybe it was just cause Killian was constantly showing his worst when it came to Kato. "Thankyou, Anna." She smiled and squeezed her friend's hand. "And thankyou for sharing that. It means alot having a friend who understands...in more ways than one."
Accepting the little hand squeeze she gave Star a faint smile. "All I ask is that you keep that to yourself. Kato, you and I are the only ones that are fully aware of that past. Even the closest friends can keep some things private. There are times when only those closest to you can share a part of your story and it was time you knew that this can be conquered. You just needed a few days to relax and feel like you might have a life."
Star nodded. "You're right. As hard as this last week has been, its also been really good. I'd lost myself in Killian, and then in the prison. I needed a chance to remember who I am...outside of everyone else and everything else." She took a breath and smiled. "Things can only go up from here."
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Star woke to a tapping on her window. She blinked open her eyes to see Killian standing just outside with thermos and was trying to offer her some. What was he doing outside this early in the morning? She smiled and nodded and he went to the porch to meet her while she got dressed.
She met him at the porch with a heavy coat and scarf on, her glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. He grinned at her. "Thought you might like to have some cocoa and watch the sunrise."
Star nodded. "Yeah, I'd that." She smirked as Killian's eyes lifted to her hair. It was impossible to miss now, even for him who didn't notice things like that very well.

Star took his arm and let him guide her where he wanted. She was quiet, letting him guide the conversation this time. Part way through the walk he spoke up. She listened quietly, nodding to let him know she was paying attention. She smiled softly into her scarf. He was going to see Kato of his own accord now, which meant he realized that there was something wrong. His apology caught her a little off guard but it meant more than he probably realized at that moment.

As they watched the sunrise he talked about the house and how he'd redone a portion of it. That was even more surprising, though...she really should've expected it. His mind worked like that. She couldn't stand being in that house, logical conclusion...fix it so that she could live in it. She nodded as he invited her to see it. "Yeah, I'd like that." She let him walk her back down towards the house. He had that nervous look like he was about to propose to her again. It was cute, but she felt a little bad that this whole thing had put him such an edge. Now that the sun had come up she could see the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. She hadn't been there to comfort him after his dreams...but...maybe that was what he needed to get him seek help purposefully.

She tensed slightly as he opened the door, then her mouth dropped agape. He hadn't just cleaned or reorganized, he'd literally gone through and renovated the house in fall colors, with new furniture and little lanterns hanging around lighting up the place in a magical way. Then he opened the main bedroom. She let out a soft gasp. It looked nothing like it had before. The atmosphere was completely different. The bed frame had been handcarved. The canopy was a soft red sheet that hung over the top and the corners. "Wow, Killian. When you go all out you really do it well. It looks amazing! I could definitely could come back to this." She tilted head up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thankyou."
************

Kato looked up Killian as he came in and started venting. Kato set down his pen and tablet and turned in his chair to give Killian his full attention. "Ok. So, what do need? What do you need to talk through?
 
Sometimes it was the overly simple that got complicated. Killian stared at Kato for a moment. "I just said it." It should have been obvious by Killian's standards that he was having trouble sleeping because of the games and other issues. What could Kato possibly need beyond that? He was the doctor and a doctor was supposed to figure out a treatment based on symptoms.

Kato nodded. "So, define how you determine what's right and what's wrong when you make decisions."

"Um..." This one was kind of hard. "Depends on the situation. If it's a matter of long term survival I might take more drastic measures." Seemed that Kato was waiting for some kind of explanation. "At about 5 or 6 I was left and I learned to steal. Nothing wrong with it if its to survive and you don't get caught. Only way its wrong is if you get caught. Then I killed my first person at 12. It was just a little bit after I hurt my leg and a kid tried to steal from me. If I didn't kill him it would have made me an easy target and I would got beat to death or starved so I had to kill him to keep other kids away while I recovered. Didn't go out of my way to kill him. He started it so it was right."

"And what if your life isn't on the line? And the life of your loved ones?"

"What the hell are you asking?" Killian stared at him for a moment. "What about loved ones? Are they in danger for you hypothetical question?"

Kato sighed lightly. "Is stealing and killing wrong when your life and the life of your loved ones aren't in immediate danger?"

"Depends. If the one that poses a threat is in the long term going to kill or hurt them I'd kill the bastard. Take Kafus for example. Even if we had him behind bars, not an immediate threat, but he's the kind of person I'd find a way into that jail to murder." Killian shrugged. "Other than that kind of person and scenario I don't like killing folks or stealing from them."

"And how does murdering him make you any better than him?" Kato asks.

"This isn't a question of being better. It's a matter of doing what is necessary to protect yourself and those under your protection."

"And that is where you and Star are on two completely different view points." Kato pointed out. He leaned forward. "You make your choices based on survival. She makes her choices based on how she's going to live with herself afterwards, i.e. is it wrong, is it going to hurt someone? That is where most of your conflict comes in. So the question is, are you even interested on learning how to make decisions from her point of view? Or are you just going to continue making decisions the way you always have."

Killian clenched his jaw. "I could live with myself relatively well until the games. That was just senseless." Hardening his gaze he looked at Kato. "I don't think it would be accurate to say that you wouldn't want the same kind of security if lets say someone did to Anna what Kafus did to Star? Not saying that its moral, but I'm asking if morals are always right. Is it better to let a man like Kafus go knowing what he will do in the future and how many others could suffer the same kind of cruelty?"

"There is difference between revenge and justice. Revenge stoops to their level. Justice finds a way to put them away without commiting murder or something else immoral. I can't say I wouldn't be tempted to kill him if he ever did anything to Anna. But I would hope I would be strong enough in my convictions to see he spent the rest of his life in prison or something of that sort."

Shaking his head he frowned. "That's where you don't make sense. A prison isn't a sure fire way to keep him from committing crimes. They can conduct an amazing amount of business even from a cell if they're at the level of Kafus. If it was an ordinary criminal with few connections I wouldn't bother wasting my time on him or her after the court finished judgment. It is my duty to kill men like Kafus. Ones that aren't stopped by bars. Why don't you understand that?"

"Because I'm not god, Killian. You're not God. You're not perfect. I'm not perfect. Who are we to decide a man's fate no matter how bad they are. If I thought like you, I would have killed you long ago."

"If you thought like me you would have understood why I did the things I did. As it is I know you hated me from the first day. Maybe it was the name and reputation, or maybe it was your own damn jealousy." Killian's eyes flashed a little. "Its like I've said before. Some men are made to do what is necessary and its not always pretty and neither do folks always understand it."

Kato claps his hands on his knees. "Then I suppose we have nothing left to talk about in that area. It'll be up to Star if she is satisfied with your logic or not."

"I try to understand. All of you get on your high horses and this morality thing is because of what? Is it about feelings?" Killian nearly stood from the chair. "I've tried and I want to learn. Thinking about whether or not I can live with myself isn't really a good method. Obviously my threshold for livability is different than yours and Star's."

"If your standard is too low, then use Star's. I'm sure you know her boundaries pretty well by now."

"Fine I can try that. I don't actually know her boundaries all that well. She almost never said anything to me about stuff unless I told her what I was thinking." Killian was finding this entire thing baffling in many ways. He figured maybe a little research on the topic would help. Kato was obviously not that great at this kind of stuff.

"Ok, start with that. I would recommend asking her decisions on the sorts of decisions she has made or is making so you can learn more about her thought process as well as bringing her more into yours." Kato stood as a patient came in. "We'll discuss the other things later, if you're willing."

"Yeah." Killian got up to leave and he shook his head. This was just too weird. The moral process was completely illogical and he wasn't sure he wanted to add it to his life. It was Killian's sincere hope that Kato would just give him the green light on this topic and say he passed. Having to do this was one of the most difficult things that she'd ever asked him to do. Kato was not as helpful as he was critical. Felt like the last thing he needed was for the doctor to start poking around in his mind and telling him why he was a miserable person. Killian already knew what bothered him and this wouldn't help the sleeping problem or any of the other stuff. Next time he was tempted to ask for some of the sleeping creams. They weren't addictive like the sleeping pills and you just rubbed them on. They were supposed to help calm a person and help them sleep. That was all he needed.

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Anna waited for Kato to come before putting dinner on the table. The kids were of course way too hungry to wait so she had them all fed. "It might be nice to have just adults for dinner." After a second she laughed. "Not that we're eating anyone, just meant that we'd be the only ones here at the dinner table eating the meal." Almost flitting over to the stove she put a kettle on the table. It was a hot soup and rolls and then she had an idea. "You know we could invite Killian to eat dinner with us. Kato would get home just in time for me to tell him and you might like to sit with Killian."

Since it seemed like such a great idea the little woman sent a message to Killian's pad. He would surely find the message and have some time to come eat. As she expected a short reply with a smiley face seemed to indicate a yes and then there was a 10 next to it. "I'm guessing that means yes I'll be there in 10 minutes." It was very short and yet easy to understand.

"Hey!" Almost running and jumping into Kato's arms she smiled extra big. "How was your day?" Before he could answer she began to rattle off a few things. "I invited Killian for dinner and Jacob started to try and talk with Claire today. You know what else?" Grinning especially big she wiggled her hips. "That hip corset got my hips down to the size where I can wear that yellow skirt again. Can hardly wait to wear it!"
 
Kato smiled and held Anna close to him, until she mentioned she'd invited over Killian. The rest of her excited update was lost as he got stuck on the detail that his nice flirty dinner was about to be ruined by the the grumpy giant that was Killian. He lowered his hands to her hips kissing her lightly. "Well, I look forward to seeing you in it. Why did you invite Killian over again?"
It was clear that Kato wasn't as excited about the dinner plans and Anna tilted her head to the side. "Well you know Star might like to have a dinner with Killian sometime and he's a horrible cook. So the most logical thing to do is to ask him to eat here!"
Kato nodded. "Long as he doesn't stay too long. I am in need of some personal time with you." He smirked lightly and kissed her again. "Food smells good."
"I knew you wouldn't mind." Anna grinned and tried to ignore the fact that she had some board games planned for after dinner. That would all come in time. Maybe card games too. "You'll get me all to yourself when we go to bed."

Star met Killian at the door with a light smile. "Hey. Come on in. Claire has been babbling about papa all day. I think she finally has us figured out."
Stepping into the door Killian tried to focus on just Star. He was feeling highly irritated with Kato after today. However, he grinned at Star. "Oh I knew she would." Taking his boots off at the door he walked into the living room and picked Claire up. "How's my little princess today?" Of course that only got a high pitched scream from her and those bright green eyes got wide with excitement as she bounced herself in his arms. Killian leaned toward Star to kiss her and then he caught himself and aimed for her cheek. "Still its damn hard to remember that."
"I know..." Star had actually found herself missing his kisses recently. Good sign. "Another month or so till I'm out of the contagious range." She takes his arm and pulls him to the kitchen. "Anna and I made a really great stew with vegetables from the garden."
Kato entered with Anna and gave Killian a short nod. "Shall we eat?"
Killian walked into the kitchen with Star and smelled the soup."Must be good. Smells good." Almost gritting his teeth he had to stop himself from trying to kiss her again. It was very hard and he wanted to. So instead he gave her man handles a little squeeze. When Kato came in he nodded back to him and then met Star's gaze. "Wasn't such a hot session today." Even though Anna didn't usually mind Kato being quiet when he got home, he was especially quiet today and she frowned a little. If no one else noticed she had. Kato was just a little out of sorts and maybe miffed. Anna didn't particularly like Killian, but she had to admit that Kato was right. He disliked the man even more than she did.
The tension in the room was thick. Star was beginning to think having Killian over may not have been the best idea. "So...." She ladles up Killian a bowl of the soup. "What have you been working on at the lab?" She asked.
"It was just that one day." Killian sat down and tried not to be awkward. "No poison up there. So uh...I can go back and do more mining and smuggling." A grin came to his face. "Had a few other plans for up there. Been drawing some plans and I thought maybe you and Claire would want to live in the bunkhouse for a few months this summer while I build a cabin."
"With....the other guys or just the three of us?" She asked curiously.
"No other guys. They were all Chips." Gradually his voice lowered to a bit of a growl. "Maybe Frank and Lisa if they wanted to come, or Kato and Anna might like to visit too." Killian had at least remembered to mention the company they were with though he wasn't particularly fond of the doctor's company. Anna got a big grin. "Oh that would be great! I love camping."
"With so few doctors here in the camp I probably wouldn't be able to. But you are welcome to go for a bit, Anna." Kato politely declined.
Totally forgetting that he obviously had a problem with Killian she grinned and gave his shoulder a gentle brush. "I happen to know you can get a few days off if you wanted to come with. We could go hiking and do a little exploring." Killian lowered his gaze and continued to quietly eat. He had a feeling that this wasn't going so well and he didn't do anything. All he had to do was show up and Kato was already acting like his world would blow up.
Star sighed and wiped her mouth. This was ridiculous. "Alright you two...I've had enough of your dislike for one another. Kato...my husband is a good man and you'd better damn well start treating him like one. No matter your previous feeling about him you are to start giving him the benefit of the doubt, starting now. Killian, Kato is trying to help. Get over yourself and how he annoys you and let him. Anything else?" She looks between the two.
Kato blinks at Star's sudden tirade. He looks up at Killian. "No. I can do that."
Looking up from his soup Killian got an innocent look on his face and he glanced at Star and then at Kato. "Nothing else for now." Since he said his part he resumed eating. No reason to push the subject. Surprised that Star would say anything at all and completely oblivious to all the silent tension in the room Anna burst into random giggles. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Now lets have some fun." Star smiles.

After Anna had served up seconds and thirds and offered fourths Killian had to turn down the offer for more food. He might have been hungry, but he wasn't starving. Of course little Anna was always the ambitious one and she wanted the guys to go have a chat in the living room and watch the babies while she and Star cleaned up. "Besides, Kato needs time with Jacob. I think the kids need to see their dads for just a few minutes." Winking at Star she started doing the dishes. Killian wandered into the living room and laid out on the floor next to Claire. She always knew that meant her dad had essentially turned into a jungle gym and she could jump and flop on him as best she could with her little body.
Kato held Jacob in his arms as he watched Claire babble happily and pull at her father's hair. After a moment he took a breath. "I apologize, Killian. Star was right...I've been letting our past get in the way of treating you with respect and the benefit of the doubt. I'm willing to look past our differences and begin again if you are." It wasn't an easy thing to say to this man. One whom he did not see changing...ever. But if he was going to help him, they had to have at least the foundation of trust.
For the most part Killian would have been happy to let things stay as they were for now. It was uncomfortable at best, but he wasn't going to let Kato being a twink keep him away from Star or Claire. When the little girl pulled on his hair Killian frowned slightly and put one of his own hands over hers and gently loosened her grip. About time he let go she decided to try eating his hair and that wasn't much better so he gave up for the time. Only a few seconds later she began to pull on his hair again and he turned his head to look at Kato. "Huh....I don't really care what you say. The difference is if you can do what you say."
"Indeed. I certainly intend to try my best." Kato replies with a small nod of his head. He wasn't the sort of man to make empty promises, as hard as this one would be too keep.
Killian raised his eyebrows slightly and nodded. "Alright then. I'll do my best not to be annoyed with you."
Kato let out a quiet laugh and looked over at their wives. "We have some amazing women, Killian. They deserve our best so they can be their best."
"Yeah?" Killian wasn't sure where that statement was going. It was a given and he saw no reason to sit here and state the obvious. "I thought that was a given."
Kato looked down at him. "It is...but its easy to forget at times. For example...you and me, going at eachother's throats...we're not at our best in those moments. I was acknowledging that by being more cordial, we're a little better."
At that point Killian sat up and pulled Claire over his head. She was giggling and having a grand time. "Oh...I wouldn't have called it a fight. I don't think we've ever had one. Pissing matches for sure."
"You wouldn't call what we had in the ship a fight?" Kato raised an eyebrow.
"Nah." Killian set Claire on the floor and rolled her a few times. She was used to a little rough-housing and she loved it. "I was pretty mad you let the door shut and irritated, if it was a fight I would have done more punching and less arguing."
Kato shook his head. "I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree on our definitions of what a fight looks like."
"You've never had a real fight? What kind of life did you live?" Killian almost got excited. "Nothing is better than having a fight and winning the prize at the end."
Kato grimaced. "Beating the snot out of people or having it beat out of me...no thanks. I prefer to heal people."
"Might have guessed." Killian smirked. "I used to win all sorts of things when older kids challenged me in the streets."
"It's simpler to stick a needle into someone's arm when they aren't looking or release sleeping gas." Kato notes. "I did both when faced with various gang members who didn't like how I'd patched up their comrade."

"Aren't you a tricky little bastard." Killian chuckled a little and Claire gave her own little cackle. She was trying so hard to imitate Killian that she even tried to sit the same and fell over. Giving a little growl she held her hands out and he put one big hand over her chest and stomach and leaned over her and growled a little which elicited many excited squeaks.
Kato stared him rough housing with her. He could only imagine how they would be when they got older. Jacob bounced almost violently in Kato's lap, extending his arms to the two and making demanding noises until Kato set the boy down who immediately crawled towards Killian whom Kato was watching like a hawk.
While Claire giggled and tried to roll over Killian turned her onto her back and then let her up only to pin her gently on her stomach and laugh while he let her up to crawl away and then grab her by one leg and pull her toward himself. All the while she laughed and tried to get away. In an attempt to gain some attention Jacob flopped himself onto Killian's legs and started to pretend he was running away too. Forced to sit up a little more Killian growled softly and pulled the little boy by his legs too and Jacob began to squeak and giggle.
While Claire giggled and tried to roll over Killian turned her onto her back and then let her up only to pin her gently on her stomach and laugh while he let her up to crawl away and then grab her by one leg and pull her toward himself. All the while she laughed and tried to get away. In an attempt to gain some attention Jacob flopped himself onto Killian's legs and started to pretend he was running away too. Forced to sit up a little more Killian growled softly and pulled the little boy by his legs too and Jacob began to squeak and giggle.
Anna peered into the living room when she heard all the giggling and she grinned. "You never told me he was so good with children." It was a tiny bit surprising all things considered.

"I don't think either of us knew till he became a father." Star replied with a loving smile. "He's been good to her, especially since she's become more responsive to him." She laughed at the tight look on Kato's face. "Poor man looks like he's about to have a heart attack." She nodded to Kato.
Smirking a little Anna shook her head. "Cause I don't think my dear doctor knows how to play. I had to teach him how to have a sense of adventure."
"He doesn't know how to play?" Star found that strange. Everyone knew how to play. "What does he do for fun? Aside sleeping with you of course." She smirked.
Anna's brow furrowed and she thought for a long time. "You know I don't think he does anything fun at all. Kato just sits around on his pad and stares at medical journals and the latest research. He needs to spend time with Killian and learn something besides new methods to cut into a person or treat cancer. Maybe that's why they haven't got along in the past. What do you think they would do if we made them go camping together?"
"Kill eachother...." Star shakes her head. "I can't imagine it being a good idea letting them go on their own. Maybe the four of us."
"Really?" Anna chuckled. "I think you're right. We should just make them spend more time together so we can enjoy each other's company while they take care of the kids. Kato will make sure Killian doesn't do anything too wild or take the kids sky diving. I could see him doing that and wondering what's wrong with it. Remember the stuff he thought was good for Timo?" Since they were done with the dishes Anna got a cup of tea for herself and one for Star. The two of them could enjoy just chatting while Kato fidgeted every few seconds and the rough-housing with the kids continued.
Star shook her head. "Yeah...sometimes I worry what he'll do when she's older. He did get Timo that cat though. Man, I miss that kid."
Running a hand through her short hair Anna sighed. "Yeah he was a good kid." Chuckling a little she shook her head. "That darn cat. I think it practiced ways to be bad."
"Leaving hair in the ventilation, peeing on people's beds, leaving rat heads in the kitchen...little terror. Better than a bear though...I still don't know what he was thinking making Cin a pet..." Star put her face in her hand. "Seriously...who does that?"
Anna smiled a little and nudged Star. "He does and he's all yours."
Star laughs at her. "Thanks for that." She smiles as she looks over her shoulder at Killian. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."
 
They were back together and there were still some rough patches. Killian took Star up to the mountains and he had to clean out the bunk house. The first day it rained all day and he discovered a leak in the roof. Then on the second day it snowed a little and melted again. "Don't worry. I'm just getting it all set up and we can have this back to full production at a slower rate over the summer and then we can keep all the profits. He loved that idea and there was still plenty of exploring to be done around here.

Only a few weeks later he started on building the actual cabin for himself and Star. It wasn't going to be with wood since they didn't have any of that handy. However, he could build a stone cabin and insulate it inside with other materials. Making something out of stone was better anyway. It wasn't prone to fire and far less likely to suffer damage from winter snows and other issues. The cabin was going to be carved out of the mountainside. Killian set a few charges to get the first bit of it started and he did some math to be sure that he wouldn't have a problem with causing structural damage to the rest of the section that he would try to make a home with. Once the charges were set he put on the safety goggles and decided to watch from what should have been a safe distance.

The blast rumbled through the air and little shards of rock, dirt, and other deposits from the ground flew out. Just the sound waves by themselves were so powerful that Killian was thrown back several feet. "Ugh..." Groaning a little he sat up and blinked a few times. Gingerly he reached up and felt his head. It hurt a little and he had chunks of grass and dirt hanging in it and his goggles were covered in dirt. "That hurt."

Wandering back to the bunk house he saw Star had been watching from the window and he grinned. "I'll have to stand further back next time." For the time he had to be done though. Kato and Anna were about to arrive. Star was excited for some lady company and Claire was needing some time with a kid her age, or at least close to it. By now Jacob was crawling much faster and he could almost walk.

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Anna gasped when she saw the little camp that Killian and Star had been living in. Wasn't much to look at. Just a long bunk house and then a kitchen covered by a tent outside. "It really is like camping!" Almost bouncing in her seat she waited for Kato to land and raced for the bags. He just didn't seem as thrilled with the prospect. However, that was all up to him. "You'll enjoy it when you get over the fact that your pad doesn't connect to the research database up here. I asked Star and she said they only work for communications when you hook them up in the ship. Otherwise there isn't any other signal." For a short second she thought his face indicated he thought they were returning to the stone age.

When they arrived Killian took the bags from Anna and Kato. He walked with them to the bunkhouse and put the bags on one side of the room. "Anyway, that's it. Got an outhouse back there if you need it." Looking at Kato he smirked. "Guys only go in there if they gotta dump. Otherwise we can pee outside. Only polite to make sure it's open for the girls when they need it." Nodding to Kato he handed him a fishing pole. "We're gonna go out and get some fishing done. Star said she wanted to have a fish fry tonight."

Kato looked down at the pole. "I've never fished in my life."

For a moment Killian laughed and then he realized the other was serious. "Oh. Well I guess you'll learn how."

Kato sighed, resigning himself to his fate. There was nothing better to do at the moment so he followed Killian to the river. "Wouldn't it be simpler to set up a net of some sort?" He asked.

"You could." Killian looked over at Kato and sighed. "That would take all the fun out of it. I do it this way because its more of a challenge."

"Catching fish is a challenge?" It didn't sound like one.

"Yep." Killian smirked. He was going to let Kato find out for himself. By now Killian was pretty good at it and he was curious to see how Kato would do. Once they were at the river Killian dug into the ground a few feet out and pulled a worm from the earth. Sliding its squirming body onto the hook he cast the line into the water and leaned over to grab another worm. Dropping it in Kato's hand he nodded to him. "Go ahead and put it on the hook. Make sure you got it on there good and tight or the fish eat the worm and leave the hook."

Kato made a face. He did not relish the task of sticking a living creature on a hook, even if it were just a worm. He does anyway, not wanting to mocked by this man and return to Anna without supper simply because he couldn't handle putting a worm on a hook. It was much harder than he anticipated, and he pricked his thumb twice before he managed to succeed.

After a few seconds Killian sat down and got himself comfortable while he waited for a fish to bite. Occasionally he would reel the line in a bit and then it started to tug just a tiny bit and he waited for a hair of a second longer and jerked up on it. Killian started to reel it in and he chuckled. "Oh I think I got a big one." The water frothed near the top and he pulled a fish near 7 pounds out of the water. Taking it over to a spot a short distance from the river he worked the hook out of its mouth and nodded. "Don't even have to worry about replacing the worm. There's enough left to tempt another fish." Grabbing fish by it's body he held it still and took the butt end of the pole to mash it's head. Looking over at Kato he noted the look on his face. "Its only kind. They suffer otherwise, suffocate outside the water and a good bash to the head is fast. They don't even know it."

Kato blanched. "I've never killed a thing in my life. Even if it is just a fish..."

"Well..." Sighing a little Killian took the fish he just killed and flopped it into a bucket. "There's the one I owe you. Cin ate Anna's fish if I remember."

Kato blinked. "That was over a year ago." He chuckles.

"Just pay attention." Killian didn't really like anyone thinking he was soft. Casting his own line out again he sat down once more and relaxed. "What makes you so nervous about killing a fish? You eat them all the time anyway. They're food."

"Don't like the idea of taking a life. Human or animal..both are living creatures with hearts and brains and the instinct to survive. Seems wrong to end that life seeing how I've taken a oath only ever to save lives."

"You didn't make any oaths to the fish." Killian couldn't help smirking a little. "Its kind of exciting the first time you catch one." While he was talking a crunching in the brush behind him sounded and he turned to look behind himself. Cin was coming snuffling in and he was almost to Kato. So far it didn't seem that the doctor had even noticed. "Just stay still for a moment. You'll be fine." Killian nonchalantly informed Kato for the moment.

"Hmm? Stay still?" Kato turned his head, catching the sight of the massive bear out of the corner of his eye. His eyes widened and he gasped.

Cin snorted loudly and opened his mouth. Almost clumsily he lumbered closer and gave a loud grunt. "He's only saying hi. Don't run and whatever you don't panic. They sense fear and they don't like it."

"Too late..." Kato squeaked.

If it wasn't for the fact that a squeak made the bear think of Kato as food Killian would have laughed. Getting up he ran over to Cin and growled in the bears face. "Get out of here!" Cin grunted and shoved into Killian and the Chip got back up and pushed against the bear. "You big lout." Finally he rolled his eyes. "Come on." Of course that was exactly what Cin wanted and he took the bear over to the bucket and let him see the single fish. Killian dumped it out and the bear wandered off, content that it had been fed its one treat for the day. "Sorry, he always wants one fish that I catch."

Kato blinked. Killian had just gone up against a bear larger than him. This man was crazy. "Better the fish than us..." He replied weakily.

"He wouldn't have eaten me. Maybe you. Can't be afraid of them. I told you that bears sense it and they don't like it. Cin is perfectly nice. He's used to being my fishing partner." Killian went back over to his line and wiggled it a little bit. "You get anything yet?"

"I don't know." Kato looked down at his line. He'd been too distracted by the bear. There's a small tug and Kato pulls rapidly, only to pull up an empty hook. "I think the worm got stolen."

"Help yourself to another worm then." Killian pointed to the ground and went back to sitting down and relaxing while he played around with his line. Another tug was felt and he started to pull it in. While he was busy reeling it in he glanced over at Kato who was occasionally catching his fingers on the hook. There wasn't any point in pointing out he was bad at this. The Chippeqouti took his fish to a rock and dispatched the same as the last one and returned to his spot at the river only to feel a hook dig into his back. "Ow!" Glaring at Kato he shook his head. "You cast that way too wide. Care to pull it out of me?"

Kato's eyes widened as it caught in Killian's back. He leapt to his feet and with the hands of trained surgeon easily removed the hook. "I'll go get something to disinfect it." He dashed off, eager to have a reason not to continue fishing and retrieved his medical bag before returning to Killian. He cleaned the wound and bandaged it before sitting back down. "I think I'll opt out of fishing for now."

"Don..." Cutting it short Killian figured there wasn't any point in telling Kato not to run when a bear was in the proximity. Cin may and may not consider it a game. Thankfully the bear didn't and Kato made the trip just fine. When he got back with the disinfectant Killian was still busy fishing. Seemed that the doctor was far more concerned about a little hook than Killian was. "You need to catch at least one fish. Wouldn't Anna be impressed if you did?"

"What is there to be impressed about?" Kato questioned. He truly didn't know.

Killian couldn't help laughing. "There's something that girls love about a man bringing home food that he just killed. Especially if its already been gutted. If you leave the gutting for them they don't like it so much."

Kato blanched again. "I think she's impressed fine by my ability to heal people and patch them up."

"Can you stop getting so flustered about fishing? This is supposed to be fun."

"There is nothing fun about pinning squirming worms to hooks and bashing a living creatures brains in."

"They taste good!" Killian couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You don't think about killing the fish. Think about the smell of them cooking and then getting to eat them."

"I don't really eat meat all that often if I can help it." Kato replied. "So many diseases..." He shuddered.

"That's a bunch of shit!" Killian reached over and helped Kato hook a fish since he saw the line was jerking. "There you got one. Now reel it in and try not to think about diseases that probably only exist in your brain."

"Its a scientific fact." Kato argues, pulling the fish up. He instantly felt bad for the creature writhing in agony at the end of his hook and froze, having no idea what to do with it.

Of course Kato was going to say it was a fact. "Well your kind and mine have eaten meat for as long as we know and it hasn't killed the entire population off. So we'll cook it and enjoy the meat." Killian noticed that Kato was just watching the fish dangle on the line. "Hurry up. It's suffering. Take it to the rock, pull the hook out and bash its head."

Kato struggled to get the poor slimy, wriggling creature off the hook. The fish finally drops to the ground and manages to flop itself back into the river. He wasn't sorry. "Well, so much for that. Thanks for the fishing lesson, but I think I'll stick to vegetables and other such things."

There was nothing more irritating for the moment than to watch Kato helplessly fumble with the hook and then let the fish get away. Just down the river he saw Cin snatch it up and Killian couldn't help himself. An involuntary laughter burst out and he tried not to look at Kato cause he could just feel that Kato was shocked at the fish's bad luck and perhaps a bit angry that Killian was laughing so hard over it. "That's just..." Busting out laughing again he stood up to try and walk it off, but every time he looked at Kato, the river, or anything to do with fishing he laughed more.

Kato's mouth dropped open as he watched Cin snatch it up. "Damn bear." He grumbled

The two of them stayed long enough for Killian to catch 2 more fish and then he took Kato to the fish gutting place. Cin liked to come because the bear loved to eat the guts that Killian would throw aside. On the last fish Killian had started to laugh so hard he accidentally cut into the guts on the fish and it made a mess. They still had enough for dinner though. Throwing the last fish at Cin he leaned over and wiped his hands off in the grass.

At the tent he set the fish out for Star and he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "We got a good fishing story. Kato's first catch." That seemed to get the ladies attention and Killian smirked. "I'll have to save that story for dinner."

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Anna couldn't help giggling a little at the irony of it all. Kato's fish escaped and then it was promptly eaten by the bear. "Oh." Making a sad face she leaned up to kiss him and chuckled a little more. "You know that's kind of sad. I thought you would have caught at least one big fish and brought it back. I'm sorry you caught the fish and then it got away." She was still unaware that Kato hadn't actually wanted to catch. So she smiled sweetly and kissed him. "That's alright. You'll probably get a chance to catch one again."

Since the girls seemed to be enjoying talking Killian nudged Kato. "Why don't we let them have the bunkhouse tonight and we can sleep out here."

"Sleep out where? Outside? With the bugs and mosquitoes?" Kato looked horrified at the thought.

The doctor must have lived a very sheltered life and it seemed so boring. As hard as he was trying to think of enjoyable things Killian was finding Kato to be horrible at this kind of life or even small vacation. "They don't bite me."

Kato shook his head with a sigh. "I'm not certain what is supposed to be pleasant about sleeping outside in the dirt."

"You get to look at the sky and the fresh air makes it easier to relax and its cold in the morning so your blankets seem that much nicer." Killian grabbed a blanket off his bunk and then the one off Kato's bunk. "Try it at least one night."

Kato sighed. "Fine. One night."

"Alright." Killian nodded to him. "It's actually very nice." Once a week in the nice weather Killian tried to sleep outside and he usually enjoyed it. This time shortly after he'd fallen asleep Cin came to camp as was routine and the bear perched not far from the men. By morning Killian did get the normal wake up from Cin when he stayed outside. A giant paw rested on his back and some grunting sounded from the bear. Groaning in return Killian lifted his head. "I'm awake." Cin gave him a contented nuzzle and then moved over to Kato had been to sniff the site out.

Kato had abandoned the sleeping site soon after the bear moved in, going inside and locking the door. It was much more pleasent sleeping next to his wife on the small bed than it was outdoors with a snoring chip and a massive guard bear. He was up in time to make coffee and stare at Killian out the window as the bear nuzzled him like a dog would. It was such a strange sight.

With the sniffing out the ground where Kato had been Killian frowned a little and sat up. "Did he really?" Grumbling a little under his breath he got to his feet and wrapped the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders. Walking over to the logs he sat down on one and Cin stood behind him and decided to push Killian off.
Hitting the ground with a grunt he looked up at Cin and the bear playfully bounced on its two front paws before he came back over to where he was. Killian grabbed the bear by the scruff of its neck and pulled himself up. "Cin...." Shaking his head he patted the bear. "Go play." With that the bear took off and Killian walked over to the bunk house door only to find it was locked. Rolling his eyes he walked back to the logs. He wasn't gonna pound on the door to be let in and wake everyone up. Who would lock the door anyway? There was no need to. Cin wasn't one to let any creatures or strangers just waltz in.

Kato opened the door with a look. "You're so odd, Killian."

"No I'm not." Frowning at Kato he stood up from the log. "If you learned to like it out here you would probably think this was perfectly normal."

"I'm more so talking about playing around with a bear." Kato says with raised eyebrows.

"Had him since he was a cub. Why not?" Sometimes he wondered why people got so weird about the bear. "Just gotta train them not to bite or scratch. Sometimes he gets a little rough and I have to tell him no. Most of the time he's like any other animal."

"Except that one weighs four hundred pounds and looks at everyone else as food." Kato shook his head. "Not saying its bad, just...odd."

"Cin weighs a lot more than that." Killian chuckled. "Well didn't you ever want an animal? I used to bring them home to the whorehouse all the time as a kid. Even got a cow once. The owner did come for that one."

"Lived in the middle of city which was wrought with turf wars. Most animals were dead or gone." Kato shrugged. "Where did you find a cow?"

A gradual smile came to Killian's face. "I found it by the docks. Had just got steady on my feet and I decided to go for a walk while she was busy with a client."

"And what in the world made you think bringing a cow home was a good idea?"

"Because I could." Killian looked at Kato. "Were you always this boring? Didn't you do anything out of the ordinary as a kid?"

"I assisted my father with surgeries by handing him tools and taking notes on patients." Kato replied. "I enjoyed it most of the time. I was too sick to do much else until the implant surgery."

"That's sad." Killian shook his head and looked over at the doctor. "I would have hated that."

"Maybe you would have enjoyed it. Lots of research, studying, learning..that seems to be your thing."

"I don't like reading and only some learning is interesting. Not much interested about what's inside people's bodies."

"As a child...with the disease I had...aging every day it seemed like...I wanted to know why. There had to be a reason to why my body aged the way it did while others aged normally. There had to be a reason why my mother died of kidney failure so early in her life, and why others with her exact same body type were completely healthy. That question still drives me. To understand and to learn how to combat death itself." He looked Killian in the eyes, a strange firey passion coming to them. "There is something intoxicating and precious pulling a person back from the brink of death. Saving them from an unknown afterlife. Its my passion. I've no need of any thing else to entertain me."

Killian nodded. "Everybody has their thing." He personally didn't like doctoring folks even in the time he practiced as the ship's captain for a few years. "Haven't you ever thought that maybe there would be an answer in the earth? I'd rather go digging around and find stuff to run tests on. Don't really like working with people."

"People like you get the things people like me need to save others. Everyone has thier place in this world, explores find lands, scientists study the land, botanists find uses for the plants, chemists and other scientits put them to use for many purposes includeing medicinal and doctors use that to save the people they've been studying. It really is an incredible cycle when you think about it."

Laughing a little Killian motioned for Kato to come out to the kitchen tent with him. "You do realize you're only one of us two to think that's an amazing cycle. If you want amazing...go look at the ships and watch the process and seasons of the galaxy."

"The galaxy is too big. Better to focus on the people in front of you." Kato replied with a shake of his head.

A semi serious look came to Killian's face. "You do your job and I'll do mine eh?" Dumping a few coffee grounds into the filter he dumped water into the canister and started to coffee for the morning. "Well you've got to at least enjoy the mornings around here if you don't like anything else."

"I think its beautiful here. Peaceful. Though...not being at the clinic or with my patients...I feel rather useless. And there is not much I'm good at outside of caring for Anna and the clinic."

Killian nodded. "Well I could show you a few things out here. Most of it doesn't take too much brain power." While the coffee was making Killian took Kato out to the bogs to show him the good spots to collect peat moss so they could make some fires, aside from the moss he took Kato out to the water filtration system that they ran. "I found out that if you line the water canister with Silver Trexate it attracts the harmful stuff in the water. Did some testing during the months I was getting ready to come up here. Star did the research when I told her what I wanted to know and she read it out loud to me." Reaching into the canister Killian wiped a thin layer of sludge off and grinned. "It was the negative charge. Attracts the positive charge from the Trexate and Silver makes it bonding." For the most part Kato seemed to be most interested in the filter and that was fine.

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By the end of the trip Anna felt much more relaxed and in her own way stir crazy. She needed to get somewhere that there was something going on. It seemed that the little mountain setting had done good things for Star and Killian. They got off planet to sell the goods and he worked away happily outside almost all day everyday. Anna walked up behind Kato once the ship was on autopilot. "You liked visiting the mountains for a few days?" Since they had all been sharing a space nothing had happened and she was feeling a bit wild. "We got a little bit of time to go get crazy before we land and then you can tell me what it was you did all those hours you two left us girls alone."

Anna knew that the guys had work to do or at least Killian did. Star had told her that Killian was gone long hours during the day, but he always came home and the majority of the time there wasn't even so much as a scratch. It was good in a way to put him in a wild environment and have it calm so that Star didn't have to worry about his coming home or not.
 
"You liked visiting the mountains for a few days?" Since they had all been sharing a space nothing had happened and she was feeling a bit wild. "We got a little bit of time to go get crazy before we land and then you can tell me what it was you did all those hours you two left us girls alone."
Kato looked over at Anna as she came up behind him. He nodded in response to her question. It hadn't been as bad as he expected but he'd quickly learned camping was not his thing. He gives his wife a questioning look as she mentions going crazy. "What do you mean by getting crazy?"
The little lady grinned and she kissed him on his cheek and then moved to his lips. "I don't know what I meant. How about you tell me." Giggling a little she moved one of her hands to the button on the front of his shirt.
Kato took her hand searching her face. He couldn't help but feel this one of those distraction tactic moments. "Are you alright, Anna? I get the sense that something is bothering you."
"Just cause I got the urge to have fun with you doesn't mean something is wrong. That's kind of a sucky way to think about our adult activities." Anna pouted at him and pulled her hands away for the time.
"No, I didn't mean it like that. Just..." He searches her face. "I know you pretty well Anna. Something is...off. I don't know what, but I can feel it. If I'm wrong, tell me."
Gazing deep into his eyes she said calmly, "You're wrong. Nothing is off." Anna didn't know where he was getting this idea. Her feeling giddy and wanting to get somewhere and do something would hardly be considered off in her book. "Why do you suddenly think something is off with me? Are you alright and just projecting that feeling on me?"
"Maybe." Kato chuckles. "I have been feeling a bit ansy. Anxious to get back to the clinic."
Anna smirked. "Hmmm...So anxious to get back to all the sick people. I can't believe that you didn't like running around up there learning about all the land and stuff like that. Somehow I thought you'd like to get your hands on a different kind of research for a change."
Kato shook his head. "There is nothing interesting or mysterious about rocks and trees. I'd much rather learn how to combat sickness and death and understand better how the human body works."
Busting out laughing Anna pulled him a little closer. "Ooh so I found out you're not 100% nerdy. I don't find rocks quite that thrilling, but I have to say I'm not entirely intrigued by the reasons that people have gas build up in the intestines and they fart or whatever else. Fashion is far more intriguing. You know the Chippeqouti have a very different sense of fashion than we do. I've noticed a few trends."
"Really? I hadn't noticed." Kato says, wrapping his arms around her. "I have noticed that you wore your yellow skirt today though." He smirks.
"Mhmm." Anna hiked the edge of her skirt up and sat on Kato. "I feel crazy in my little yellow skirt. My favorite color."
Kato's heart started pounding again as he grinned at her. "Me too."
"Oh so you feel crazy in my little yellow skirt too?" Anna giggled and kissed him. "I didn't know yellow was your favorite color. Maybe..." Pulling away from him she dashed to the doorway and gave him a quick grin. "Are you gonna do anything about feeling crazy?"
"Most definitely." He chuckles and races after her.
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Star waved to Anna and Kato as their ship took off and turned back to Killian who was getting ready to set off for work for the day. "Why don't you stay with me today?" She asked, grabbing his hand and pulling him close. "Just the three of us. We can work on finishing up the cabin together..." She looked down at Claire who was pulling on Star's leg as support as she stood up. "Awe, Cutie." She lifts Claire into her arms with a soft grunt. "Look, even Claire wants you to stay today too." She smirks as the babe reaches for her father.
Work was always needing to get done. Killian shrugged his vest on and grabbed the pack of tools. He didn't even get the pack on and Star was asking him to stay. Glancing down at Claire he watched Star lift her up and it seemed that the baby wanted to be held. With a sigh he reached out and took Claire from Star. The baby was at the age she liked the idea of getting to switch from parent to parent and she immediately wanted Star again. "Oh I guess I could." Stepping a little closer he pulled Star into a hug. "Maybe we should just squish her between us so she doesn't have to choose." He chuckled a little as the baby gave an angry squeak at him. "Too logical for her. She liked the idea of getting passed."
Star laughs. "Let's go by the river and set her between us. That way she can crawls between us at will."
Sure you don't want to swim in the river?" Killian knew it was cold, but he still liked it sometimes. "Well maybe not with the baby unless I hold her. I just don't think she'd like that. What are we doing at the river? Fishing?"
"Uh, whatever we want. I was just going to put my toes in." Star chuckled. "I'll get the blankets and some snacks." She passed Claire back off to Killian and headed up to the cabin. She returned a few minutes later with the items in hand.
He hadn't gone on a picnic with Star in a while even though they were out in her the mountains. Holding onto Claire he sighed while he waited for her to come back out. Maybe when they got down there he would have a chance to talk to her. For the most part they had been relaxing and he hadn't done much talking. Stuff was starting to surface though, not dreams, it was the issues within the colony that he had heard about during his little trips. About anytime he expected to hear from Anna.

Star set the blanket out by the river's edge and sat on it with Claire sprawled across her lap as her feet danced in the water. "You and Kato seemed to get along pretty well this weekend. You boys have fun?" She asked.
"Eh I don't know if we had fun." Killian looked over at Star. "More like we've agreed to disagree. At least he doesn't act like I'm a monster so it is a little more comfortable. He didn't even like putting worms on a hook."
Star laughed. "You two are complete opposites. Maybe you'll both end up evening eachother out." She pulled Claire back to her lap. The little girl seemed determined to go check out the water.
"I don't need to be evened out." Killian smirked at Star. "You like me just the way I am."
"That is true." She stretched up and kissed him. "Ah, it's nice being able to do that agian." A high pitched yelp caused Star to look over just as Claire went head over heels into the river. "CLAIRE!" Star shot to her feet as the undercurrent snatched the babe, pulling her down the river.
Killian kissed Star and he frowned almost instantly as he heard the little scream. "You run down river and run spot." Killian almost yelled even though he was close to her. Rather than getting to his feet it was more like a roll and spring for the river himself and the river caught him. He could probably make decent time if he swam with the current. His heart was beating at a nearly uncontrollable rate. There were so many rocks along the river that the baby could have gotten caught under the water against any of them or her head could have been smashed. Hitting a semi rough patch in the water he grunted, but he turned his head in time to see the tiny fist sticking out of the water and the hint of pink clothing. Claire was face down in the water and she wasn't even attempting to move, not that he could see if she was since the waves had her mashed there. Shifting to be head first he stuck his arms out to brace himself for the impact as he swam to the side of the river to get to the rock. The current almost plastered him against Claire and he grabbed her with one arm. Holding the baby against his chest he could feel his one shoulder and arm being pressed into the rock. His arm was scraped as he turned to let the current press him flat against the rock. "Star I got her." They were too close to the falls for him to actually get out. Typically the falls killed folks and it would surely kill Claire. "Get a rope and tie it off to a tree then toss it out to me." Killian alternated between patting Claire on the back and rubbing her back till she started to puke the water. Now their greatest concern was if the baby would suffer from a second drowning or get seizures from a fever. He didn't know how a half Chippeqouti child would react. It didn't feel like he could keep her warm for as cold as he felt himself.

Star had never run so fast in her life. Her heart pounded with adrenaline from the panic as she raced away from Killian and Claire to get the rope. She tore apart the shed and bunkhouse, not caring what was broken in her race to find one. A few minutes felt like hours. She tore open a box and found a line of rope finally. She grabbed it and sprinted back to the river. By this time they'd been in the cold water at least five minutes. That was bad enough for a human. For a chip, it was even worse. Star slid to a stop and tied the rope tightly around a tree then threw the end at Killian. She anchored herself on the bank preparing to pull him once he'd grabbed it.
It was a good thing that Star didn't throw like a girl. The rope hit the rock above him and he reached up with the free hand. Wrapping it around his arm and then over his hand a few times he made sure he couldn't lose grip even if his hands were mostly numb and he wasn't sure how hard he gripped. To be sure he gripped the rope as tight as he could possibly could. Pushing away from the rock with his legs he hit the current again and momentarily both he and Claire went under. Her little scream sounded again when he came back up and Killian knew Star couldn't actually pull him in. It was too much between his weight and Claire's. Killian flipped to his back so he could keep Claire's head above the water and most of her body. Kicking he moved himself to the side and then the tugs from Star began to make more difference the closer he got to the banks. Finally, he felt the edge of the ground and he pushed Claire a little further up his chest. "Here take her and get her home." Killian pulled himself out of the water and the cold air left him nearly shaking. Gathering the rope as he walked toward the tree he untied it and started walking home. Next time they came to the river Claire was gonna get tied to him or Star. She wasn't doing that again.
Star raced Claire home turning on the heated blankets and pulling Claire's wet clothes off and drying her off best she could. She wrapped the babe up in the blankets, lay her on her shoulder then raced to the ship to get the engines running while Killian made his way back up the hill. She wasn't taking any chances. Both of them were going to see Dr. Quill. Once the engines started she hurried down the ramp looking for Killian.

Wandering toward the shed Killian dropped the rope inside and locked it up before he started to stiffly move for the bunk house. Inside he stripped down and got dried off before he grabbed some other clothing. He still felt cold and then Star came back in to tell him they were headed for the doctor. His hair was somewhat damp yet and it stuck off the top of his head since he hadn't bothered to comb it down yet. "Yeah we should get Claire in." His teeth clattering and still shivering despite his layers of clothing and the blanket he had wrapped around himself he followed her out to the ship. "You flying or me?"
"Me. You just concentrate on getting yourself warm. Take a hot bath and I'll make you some cocoa once we're in the air." She closes the ramp and hurries back to navigation. She lay the crying babe on the floor long enough for her to get the ship into the sky. It wasn't more than a 30 minute flight, but it was still too long with Killian and Claire on the verge of hypothermia. The autopilot was set and she picked Claire back up, checking that the heat on the blanket wasn't too much. Star got the hot water going and filled the thermos with cocoa, ready for Killian for when he came back out.
Killian nodded and he ran a warm bath for himself. His head felt almost cold to the touch. It was probably just the cold air and the fact that his thick black mass of hair was still wet. Pulling a hat on he stripped down and got into the water. In a way it felt good and at the same time it almost felt like it was burning. Clenching his jaw he soaked for barely 10 minutes before he got out. More water didn't particularly strike his fancy, but it helped some. Getting into his thicker clothing he wrapped the blanket around himself and shuffled out to the main area. Claire was making horrible coughing sounds and crying while Star rushed around. Laying down on the floor next to the baby he put a hand on her back and rubbed gently till she quieted down. Killian was about to fall asleep, but Star wouldn't let him and she insisted that he sit up and have some cocoa. Taking the thermos from her he nodded. "Ok. Thanks."

"You need to stay awake, alright? And you need to help Claire stay awake too. Keep moving if you have too." Star orders. She didn't know much about medicine but she knew falling asleep immediately after something like this wasn't safe. 20 minutes left on the flight. She sat anxiously in the chair, bouncing Claire lightly in her arms. "Did you hit your head at all?" She asks worriedly. "Did she? Could you tell?"
Moving to sit up he shook his head slightly. "I don't know. She probably did." Killian started to shake again and he curled tighter under the blanket. "We're tying that kid to us with a leash next time we go somewhere." So far that baby had almost the same propensity for disaster that he had. "I swear you could tell she's related to me just by everything she gets into."
Star groaned. "She's going to be a terror when she grows up. I'm going to have to chain her to my hip." She said half-jokingly. She looked down at Killian worriedly and grabbed another blanket and tucked it around him, then lay a hand on his cheek. "Thankyou for saving our baby. You were amazing."
Snuggling into the blanket he nodded at Star. "She's half our life. About scared the living daylights out of me." Moving his hands to rub his chest he looked up at the ship navigation screen. "Feels like it should have been so much longer. Is Claire still ok?"
"She's warm again, but she's still making that coughing noise. It worries me. I can't help but feel she's still having trouble breathing." Star looked back at the navigation computer. "Another 15 minutes. Not to much longer. Who should we take her too? Kato or Quill?"
Killian leaned his head back against the wall. The beanie cap was almost wet now from his head, but it was helping keep him slightly warmer. "Get her to Kato. He should have Witteck's notes. She swallowed a lot of water." Probably they were going to need to make sure that she didn't have any in her lungs. "Should probably call ahead and make sure he knows." Rolling his eyes slightly he grumbled. "Feel like a damn lousy parent. Who the hell lets their kids crawl into the river. She never moves that fast unless she's getting into trouble and she knows it." Claire loved to move fast toward anything she wasn't supposed to have and this time it about killed her. They'd had to rescue her from crawling to the fire pit a few times.
"And she's going to move even faster when she start's walking." Star held up the datapad and called Kato.

"Kato, hey...Claire just fell into the river and just about drowned. Killian got her out and she's breathing but she's making some nasty coughing noises. We're about 15 minutes out. Please be ready to check her out." Star nearly pleads, though there was no reason too with Kato.
"Leave you guys alone for an hour and you're already getting into trouble." Kato shakes his head. "I'll meet you at the med ship. See you guys in a few."
They hang up and Star sighs anxiously.
15 minutes drug by so slowly it felt like hours. They finally land and Kato immediately takes Claire in for examination. He runs a series of tests and looks up at them with results a few minutes later.
It sounded like the baby was going to need to have her little lungs monitored for the next 2-3 days and that would require that she stay in the hospital. For now it was all waiting and watching. Her body had experienced a shock and they wanted to be sure that even though she hadn't got any water in lungs that she wouldn't go into shock. Killian nodded and he noticed that little Claire was still bundled and she fussed. "Its your own damn fault." Gently he stroked her little back and then it was his turn to go in and get all check out. Again there wasn't anything immediately wrong, but everyone seemed to be waiting for him to drop. Killian was given the rub and he got to apply it liberally to his chest before he was put in the same room with Claire. At least they were all together and it wouldn't be as stressful for little Claire. In fact as a precautionary step they put some rub on Claire and she was allowed to sleep on Killian's chest since it would help her breath it in a little better too. By that evening Killian started into the fevers and Claire was moved back to her bed. She cried and fussed and Killian sincerely wished he could join her. Fevers like this made every bone in his body hurt.
Despite Star's best efforts to sleep it was impossible between Claire's crying and Killian's soft moaning. She ended up getting a coffee and watching the two for the rest of the night. By the time morning came she was dozing in the chair and Kato lay a hand on her shoulder. Star looked up at him then looked over at Claire who seemed to have finally fallen asleep. She stood and went over to Killian who seemed to still be trembling from the fevers. She knew by now not to touch him as his bones were incredibly sensitive when he was feverish. "Hey." She greets him with a soft smile as he looks over at her.
"Claire's doing fine. Sleeping finally. You still have a bit of a fever. Sorry." She gave him a sympathetic look. "You need anything?"
Killian did his best not to disturb Star, but he knew she didn't sleep much better than he did. By the morning he felt pale even if he didn't quite look it. It was difficult to look pale with his skin tone. "Hmmmmhh." Shaking his head he shifted uncomfortably in the bed. "Haven't had any seizures yet?" In a way it was surprising, but the rub seemed to work well. "Better put some more on then." Grabbing the little tin he took a scoop out with his finger and gingerly rubbed it on. Thankfully it wasn't something that the doctors got too worried about him using. "Maybe we can stay here for a few days after we get out. Just to make sure Claire doesn't relapse." He was still a little worried about her.
Star nodded. "I agree." She took the tin from him after he was done and took some over to Claire, rubbing it on her chest as well. The constant worry felt familiar, and they hadn't even gone anywhere dangerous. How annoying. It was going to be a long few days.
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"It was terrifying. One moment I'm kissing Killian the next she's rolling down the bank into the river. She almost died, Anna! I looked away for five seconds! I don't know what I would have done if Killian hadn't fished her out before they hit that waterfall." Star sat at Anna's table the day after Kato released Killian and Claire from the hospital. "I get all panicky again just thinking about it.
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Sooni knocked on Anna's door late in the evening. She smiled as Anna opened the door, Perrin standing beside her, his hand around her waist. "Anna, we have a proposal for you. May we come in?"
The two enter and they sit at the table with Anna. "Perrin and I have been in communication with about two dozen sympathetic Chippequoti and dozens of other humans who are interested in seeing the counsel rebuilt. We all agreed that the fairest way to rebuild the council would be to have one chip of each of the four classes on the council and four humans, as Killian suggested. We would like to invite you to consider being one of the members of the council once we have renewed it."
 
Anna could commiserate with Star's distress. She had never in her life seen a man that could get into so much trouble without trying and then a baby that did the same thing. "Its ok. These things always work out and besides he is pretty resilient and responsible. I think Claire got some of the resiliency."

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Even after they were released Killian felt like his bones were a little tender. It was just the fevers and he knew it. Thankfully the fever and aches had reduced greatly within about a day and he felt semi decent when he went back to the house. However, he and Claire were neither one feeling ambitious so he sat at home with the baby. Killian put Claire on the bed and he fell asleep with her gnawing on his shoulder leaving a large drool mark.

After he was asleep for a while the baby began to poke his face and leaned in closer to look at him. Her curious little eyes got wide and she poked him in the eye only for Killian to turn his head away with a grunt. His hair happened to be another favorite and Claire took a fist full of his hair and began to tug. Squealing with delight she almost bounced along till she decided to crawl on him and try to get to his face again. Digging her little knees into his back she garbled and gurgled a little while she tried to get a look at him. Putting on hand on his jaw she pushed down heavily for balance and began to wiggle her way down. Then she discovered if she held onto the sheets she could get herself off the bed safely.

Claire loved exploring the bedroom when her mom and dad weren't paying attention. Pulling open Star's drawer she pulled out various pairs of socks and then went to the bathroom where she found the box of feminine products which she found were packaged in colorful wrapping and she began to tear them open. By the time Killian woke to distant little squeals he had a feeling it was all too late. Shuffling out of the bed he sighed. Socks everywhere. It could have been worse. That thought went on hold as soon as he heard swishing from the bathroom. Pushing the door open he saw tampons littering the floor. A pad was stuck the side of her head and seemed to think it was pretty. Worst of all she was splashing toilet water everywhere. "No..." Walking into the bathroom he already felt his socks soak up the water and he growled. "That's not happening again little missy." Peering into the toilet bowl he saw that she had raided Star's makeup and colored the toilet seat with lipstick and all sorts of eye products. Claire had some on her face too and he didn't even want to guess if she put it on before or after she painted the toilet seat and bowl. "Picking her up he held her as far from hismelf as possible and walked her to the other bathroom where there was nothing to destroy. Claire was still triumphantly waving a tampon as Star walked through the door.

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Shortly after dinner Anna heard the knock at her door and she wandered over to answer it. Kato was having his dad time with little Jacob who had been trying desperately to entice him to turn into a bear and growl. Even though the little guy shouldn't have a great memory he seemed to think now that every adult man would get down on his knees, growl and pretend tackle him. That one week with Killian and Star had ruined the boy's version of fun it seemed. He loved to play in the games of chase.

Glancing into the living room and then back to her guests Anna nodded. "Please come in." Walking over to the table with Sooni and Perrin she waited for them to begin speaking. It had been a while since the last visit and she was sure that there had to be some kind of important reason. "A council and who would be the supreme leader?" Anna was still a bit curious about that part. "I think that your idea of a council and the mix would be great and I would be honored to be considered. There will be a few little things to figure out before I say yes."

"That's just it. There wouldn't be a supreme leader. No one person with that level of power. We make majority decisions, or not at all. If we get stuck in a tie vote we bring the rest of the colony in to help with the decision." Sooni replied.

Anna nodded with approval. "I like that. So has the community decided this or are we voting on it and candidates that announce themselves and when?"

Sooni and Perrin look at eachother. "At the moment it will look more like a takeover. Those of us who support the new council will force the old council out. We'll try peacefully to start but if they don't step down then we will use force." Perrin replied and Sooni continued, "Thus far the majority of the colony is for a new council. When they see that majority of the populace is refusing to follow them, they should step down peacefully and allow the new members to take their place. Once the new council is in place, the colony can vote on members they don't want to remain in the office or members they would rather have instead." Perrin nodded. "Its not a perfect plan, but its the best we have so far."

"That might work. What is the contingency plan if they don't step down? Then you have made yourselves known and unless you have a few high bloods on your side you know it will be next to slaughter again." Anna wasn't sure if that was true, but it was a concern. Maybe Kavis would risk those he had left and maybe he wouldn't. "Do you think that Kavis would be so stubborn to risk his own people to maintain control?"

"Its difficult to know what a high blood of his rank is thinking. But with so few of us left, and the majority of us refusing to follow no matter what orders are given...it would be foolish to attempt to remain in power. Fighting back would gain him nothing but a death sentence."

Anna took in a breath. Were all the Chippeqouti so hell bent on killing opponents that didn't comply? She could almost sense Kato getting uneasy. "Then you will need to develop a contingency plan and a safe place for all those that will not fight to run to. If it does break out I wouldn't be surprised if Kavis took it all out on us. He must know that you're not willing to follow by now."

"True, but neither have we been organized enough to say as a majority that we no longer want him or the rest of them in office. Perhaps he has been holding out, hoping that the initial massacre frightened us from a second rebellion."

Where they were at was even more disturbing than she thought. "If you were to try and call a meeting now he could simply re-create the massacre, but to his advantage. We would need to have guards that could watch and protect the assembly. People that perhaps you could allow to let vote in advance so that they are still heard." Anna took a deep breath and waited for the Chips to respond.

Sooni nodded. "We have a handful of brave souls still willing to fight if need be. And every human and chip are armed this time as well should they be foolish enough to fight back."

“Which they may.” Perrin adds. “There are still a couple dozen chippequoti very loyal to the current council and the rule of blood. They will fight to the death to maintain the integrity of the bloodlines if they are not called off. And even then they may remain a problem under the new council. It is a difficult situation with no guaranteed outcome.”

"Well then prepare to have a few set aside to fight and others to guard civilians unable to fight." Anna was growing tired though she was trying to be gracious and allow the other two to talk as long as they needed. "Let me know when you have decided to move forward with the plan and I would be happy to help you arrange the setting." Once the other two left Anna wandered into the living room. It had been an eventful day. "Ugh...So how was your day?" Almost lazily she flopped onto the couch and a short twinge of pain ran through her back. She hated that it still seemed to insist on having spasms from time to time.
 
Kato looked up from tossing a ball to Jacob. "Uneventful. I ended up just doing some check-ups on previous patients." He turned on his seat and rested an arm on Anna's leg. Looking up at her. "What was that all about with the chips? Did they really invite you to take a seat on the council?"
The little lady nodded to Kato. "Yeah they really wanted to invite me. Doesn't mean anything cause it doesn't even sound like others know about it yet."
"Are you going to do it?" He asked, looking down at Jacob who was attacking his leg and growling at him. "If things do get settled, i mean."
Anna sat up a little. "Yeah I'm going to do it. Why wouldn't I?" She had no idea why she shouldn't or wouldn't want to do something like this. "I could actually help people instead of sitting around here and advise them when they eventually decide to show up and tell me about their problems."
Kato nodded. "I think you'd be good at it. Just be careful, alright?"
"Of course I'll be careful." Anna shook her head. "You always look so worried whenever I think about something like this. Not like I volunteered to be one of the armed citizens."
"No, but in the current climate of the colony, council seating isn't exactly the safest place either. I can't help but be worried Kavis will retaliate and hurt you."
Twisting on the sofa to lay on her stomach she rested her chin on her hands. "Well I think I'll be just fine."

"We all think we will be fine till something not fine happens." Kato replied, bringing his face close to hers while fending off Jacob. His forehead wrinkles as he looks down at the lad. "I don't know what he wants. I offered him the ball, he doesn't want that. He just keeps growling at me and attacking my legs, then crawling away then coming back. What's the deal?"
Anna started to laugh when Kato asked her one of the most ridiculous questions. It was only funny because he obviously didn't catch the clue. "Who plays with children like that? Remember, Jacob loved to play with Claire and Killian. You know children like to know they are safe, but they still like a little thrill. Try growling and crawling after him. Don't worry if you look silly."
Kato looked devastated. "So Killian has ruined my child from ever playing peacefully. Damn that man." He looked down at Jacob. "I can't growl at him. I'm not an animal, I'm his father."
"Not like he taught Jacob to punch. Just to growl and crawl around. It's kinda cute. Reminds me of all his dinosaur things." Anna chuckled at Kato. "You're talking like the kid is an adult. Jacob wants you to play with him and throwing a ball isn't all that interesting at this age. I wouldn't be worried about the growling unless it persists into his teenage years."
"I am playing with him. But if we teach him about wrestling and violence at this age he could grow up to want it when he's older." Kato exclaims. "Just you watch. That Claire is going to become a soldier or a smuggler or join some other sort of violent profession because of him." Kato picked Jacob back up and tossed him in the air. "But not you...no...you'll become a doctor...or a diplomat, hmm?" He wiggled the boy above him. That seemed to get a few laughs.
Anna took a deep breath and let Kato have his moment before she was going to break the news. "I've noticed that Killian isn't that far off from many of the Chippeqouti in behavior and lifestyle. They are in general a little more prone to those kinds of jobs. You think that it might have some effect on Jacob? Look at Star. She's the one that spends most of the time with Claire and yet the girl loves her daddy and she lives for those moments that he will growl and chase her around and let her crawl all over him. Then she takes naps on his chest and its not all violence. Kato, it might be physical contact to. Babies need that and you're not good with it. Tossing a ball is very impersonal."
"I hold him." Kato protested. "I just tossed him in the air. How much physical contact are we talking about?"
"Well when you engage with him its at a distance. Babies like to be held when you play with them and it needs to be exciting." Anna sighed. "You could hold him and I could play peekaboo or try to tickle him while you guard him."
Kato nodded, looking a little defeated as Jacob squirmed unhappily in his lap. "Sorry, Anna. I'm not very good at this."
Walking over to Kato she kissed him on the cheek. "You're fine. There are things that people are good at and things that they're not. You can learn a few things about people and babies. Not everything Killian does is violent or evil. I think it would be safe to say that he's relatively good at making connections with his daughter. Just watch him next time and you'll maybe get a few ideas of what you could do that wouldn't involve crawling around and growling."
The idea left a bad taste in his mouth but he nodded anyway. "I'll try."

*****************************************************************************************
Star gave Killian and Claire an odd look as they trotted past, Claire covered in her makeup and waving her tampon with Killian looking like he'd had about enough of life at that point. She followed the mess to the bathroom, her mouth dropping. "Oh my gosh, are you kidding me!? MY LIPSTICK! Ooooh, my makeup...what a mess..." She groans and gets to work cleaning everything up while Killian cleaned Claire. The more she cleaned the more she began to laugh. It was so ridiculous. Claire's look of triumph was too funny. She wished she could've gotten a picture of it. She made a mental note to buy another camera drone next time they went shopping.
 
Leaning over to put Claire into the other tub Killian grumbled a little. "You ju...Augh!" Claire had decided that the tampon soaking wet from toilet was perfect to stick in her dad's mouth. Killian did his best to keep from puking on Claire and he almost dropped her in the tub before he heaved a few times over the toilet. Nothing came up so he started to spit and then he looked over and she was putting it in her mouth. "Noo." This was a moment for panic. "Star help!" Holding onto the toilet he continued heaving.

Star rushed to the bathroom to see Killian dry-heaving in the toilet and Claire munching on the tampon. "Oh, no...baby girl. C'mon now." She snatched the item from the babe and tossed it in the trash. "You ok?" She looked over at Killian. "What happened?" Claire began to scream, angered by theft of her new found plaything. Star winced and tried to entice her with a rubber block instead.

How she took it all so calmly he didn't know. It was manageable till Claire shoved it in his mouth. Shaking his head he stayed kneeling next to the toilet. "She put that thing in my mouth." The dry heaves came on though they were slightly less violent than the first round.

"What thing? The tampon?" Star snorted then started laughing hard. "Oh my gosh. No, Claire...that is not where it goes." She laughed even harder. "Are you...are you just gagging cause she hit the back of your throat or because of the thought of what it is?" She laughed again despite the screaming of Claire.

Almost nauseously he nodded his head and tried not to look at the baby for now. "Ugh...It's the thought that counts." Killian tried to make some humor out of the situation though he was completely disgusted and his stomach churned.

Star laughed again. "Its not even used." She looked back down at Claire and splashed some water on her chest, using a cloth to scrub the babe's face and hair off. Claire finally calmed down a bit, enough that she wasn't breaking their ear drums as Star continued to bathe her. Splashing water at her from time to time to keep her entertained.

"She swished it in the toilet. I'm pretty sure...cold water." Leaning over the toilet again he wretched a few more times and then managed to look at Star. "I need to go get some mouth wash."

Star just laughed at him again and waved him off. "Go on. I got her."

Just for fear of the toilet water being everywhere Killian finished cleaning their bathroom and he threw away both toothbrushes and the roll of toilet paper that had been splashed. The entire bathroom smelled like he washed it out with bleach 3 times over. Killian could handle a lot of things, but that was gross. "I'll be back." Killian gave a yell as he started out the doors to head over to the ship to get a few supplies for the house including their travel toothbrushes. Seemed that he had barely stepped outside and a Chippeqouti that he recognized came up to him. The male tapped his shoulder and nodded at him.

A little suspicious of what might happen Killian walked with him to a little space between a few buildings. Some of them were armed and he was pretty sure they were gonna try and kill him. Already he began to search their faces and body stances to determine which one he should go for first.

"We need you to act as a guard for the citizens that aren't ready to fight. When the election comes due in 3 days you'll hold them in one of the tunnels. Anna said not to put you on the front lines. There's 3 tunnels and we need you to guard one." They had wanted Killian on the front lines, but Anna had said that they couldn't do that so guarding one of the tunnels was all the more they could ask for. At the same time it was good to know because they knew that it wasn't likely anyone would get into the tunnel without a fight.

Killian nodded and started to cautiously make his way back. However, they insisted on getting some kind of answer. "Yeah I'll do it. Far North tunnel." With that the group seemed to be satisfied and Killian walked back to the house slowly and cautiously. He couldn't believe that he just agreed to this and he knew beyond shadow of a doubt that Star would have something to say. Quietly sneaking back into the house he put the rest of their bathroom into order and wrote down tampons on the shopping list. For most of the night he remained quiet and tried to think of how he would break the news to Star. If he didn't and someone beat hi to it there would be hell to pay.

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Finally they were gearing up and a few of the Chippeqouti who were supportive of the movement had begun to contact a few of the others. They had Killian and Anna figured that they would have him guard so that if he did anything it wouldn't turn into a massacre. He was there for a sole purpose and she wanted for Star not to have to worry about Killian going off the deep end again. This was something where they could use his skills and he would be doing a good thing. Of course with the entire defiance and election coming to a head Kato was getting more worried looking all the time. "I'll be fine." Anna smiles. "You just watch how it all plays out tomorrow."
 
"I'll be fine." Anna smiles. "You just watch how it all plays out tomorrow."
"That's just it. We can't know that for sure. At least tell me you'll be staying inside when all this goes down." Kato pleads.
"I will come inside as soon as I can." Anna felt somewhat badly that Kato was so worried. "Nobody is gonna shoot me."
"If you were so sure of that, why do we have guards watching over the civilians?" Kato crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing.
Anna's eyebrows raised some. "W-well its just a precaution." There was no way to actually to get around his question.
Kato sighed and put his hands on her arms, his eyes looking pleadingly into her own. "You almost died the last time you were shot. You were paralyzed for months. I...I can't stand the thought of you putting yourself in a potentially life-threatening situation like this again...at risk of being shot and leaving our child motherless."
"I don't want to be shot either." Anna searched his eyes. "Someone needs to be on the council and they said that nobody even wants to oppose me. They had to ask a few different people cause everyone else is afraid to do it. We did ask Killian to guard one of the civilian tunnels. Don't want him taking active part in the fighting unless it really is to protect people. If anything goes wrong I'll go to his tunnel if that makes you feel better."
"Not really." Kato shook his head. "But, I can see there is no stopping you...so, I'm coming with you."
Nodding her head slightly she agreed. "Ok. Are we going to have Star watch Jacob? "
Kato thought for a moment. "She already has Claire. We might have to give him to the neighbors to watch out for. They are a good couple."
"That's true. Claire is a handful by herself." Anna chuckled a little. "That girl could keep five people busy if she started walking."
"Mmhmm." Anna smiled gently at Kato. "You just get yourself all worried and worked up over the little things. When this is all over I will find a day for us to go off world and try to relax. Sometimes I think you feed off worry. Worry for your patients, worry for me, worry for Jacob, worry that Jacob was ruined by a little bit of growling." Leaning a bit closer she gently stroked his cheek. "I love you."
"Mmm...the best things in life are worth worrying about." Kato replied giving her a gentle kiss.

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"You're doing what!?" Star exclaims upon hearing the brief explanation of the plan from Killian at that morning's breakfast. "And you're leaving in a few minutes...why are you just telling me this now!?" She groans at him. "Killian, sometimes I don't know what to do with you." She rests her head on a hand, breakfast forgotten. "So, lets make sure I understand this. The new council is going to push out the current council today. And you are guarding one of three groups of citizens hiding in tunnels from possible retaliation. Am I and Claire going into one of those tunnels?"
Killian had to break the news and he'd thought it would go over about as well as it did. "Yeah..." Shoving a last bite into his mouth he quickly chewed it and swallowed. "I'll have you and Claire in the far North tunnel. Wouldn't trust anyone else to guard you, but myself." He could tell she wasn't particularly happy about the tunnel guarding. "I didn't even think about it till after I said yes. I"m sorry."
Star sighs lightly. "I suppose I should be glad you won't actually be out front. You're just there as a precaution, which you would be doing anyway. Its probably better this way...at least there is a plan." She relents.
"Hope nothing happens." Killian started to get up from the table. Grabbing the plate he took it to the sink and rinsed it off. "Star if the new council takes over do you still want to move?"
Star thinks a moment. "Originally...I wanted to move because I was in so much pain. I thought leaving would help me run from it. But, as much as there are some bad memories here, there are more good memories. This is our home. I wouldn't mind exploring for a bit, but ultimately this is the place we should come back to. So, in short. No. I don't really want to move anymore. Do you?"
It was good to hear that she wasn't going to be racing out of here. "No I don't really want to leave. This is the first place I've been where its been semi safe and a few people are somewhat friendly." He wasn't going to stretch it as far to say that he felt completely safe or that he even had friends though a few were getting close to being considered as much.
Star nods, her expression a little tight. "Well, its almost time. I suppose we should get going. I'll get Claire." She stands and goes to the bedroom to gather up their precious babe and her diaper bag. "I hope this thing ends peacefully. We do not need another massacre."
He waited outside the bedroom while Star gathered her things. "It would be nice if it ended peacefully." Killian hightly doubted it would, but it was a nice thought. "You ready now?" Holding his hands out to Claire she came crawling over to him and he picked her up. "You'll just have to be a good girl."
"She'd better. Ready." Star took his arm. "Let's get this day over with."

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Sooni stood in front of the mirror pulling back her hair into a tight bun as Perrin checked his gun. "Who would've guessed a few years ago, that a couple of low-bloods like us would be leading a revolt against a council of high bloods." She shook her head, staring at her scarred throat. She'd come so close to dying so many times in the last two years that she no longer feared death. But she did fear watching the last of her kin die out.
Sooni sighed. "Are we doing the right thing, Perrin? There are a mere 139 of us left. And we may lose more today."
Perrin stood and put a hand on her shoulder. "We are doing the right thing. The humans have shown us just how twisted our society has become, despite the best intentions behind it."
"What is the point though, I wonder? Ultimately...we will die out as a species...and we will be naught but a memory. There are too few of us to repopulate without a disgusting amount of inbreeding." Sooni turned to Perrin. "Our blood will be too weak to sustain life in less than three generations."
"I've been thinking about that, which is another reason I have pushed so hard for this new council." Perrin replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Claire."
"The half-chip babe...you don't mean...?"
"I do. I think that is the only way our people will survive. We may lose the pure-high bloods. But we will continue on for generations to come if we allow our people to look to humans as potential partners instead of slaves."
"But...there are so many complications with mixing human and chip blood. The nutrients we absorb, the strength of our bones."
"Claire has already shown it is possible even with a human mother."
"She had to have chip bone-marrow transplant to even support the babe." Sooni argued.
"Then we inform people. That if they choose a human-female, she will require a treatment." Perrin rubbed Sooni's arms. "This is the next step. The old world is gone...our old society...its time to fight for a different and better future."
Sooni nodded. "I am at your side, until the end."
"And may the end be very far away." Perrin kissed her and opened they door. They trotted out into the snow, praying to their gods for a peaceful victory.
 
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